Compare towns
Dracut vs Plaistow vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the highest household income ($114k).
Plaistow has the most affordable homes ($405k median).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Dracut | Plaistow | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
7,861Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7Lowest 3% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13k 34% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Williston and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #66 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Dracut | Timberlane Regional School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Timberlane Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.