Compare towns
Dracut vs Salem vs Windham vs Middleborough
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Salem has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
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 | Salem | Windham | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
30,964 |
16,038Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Salem and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleborough and Salem 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% |
38.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9k 37% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16k 42% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,625±$146Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$6,992 124% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,023 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Middleborough 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% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Salem 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Salem School District | Windham School District | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Salem High School | Windham High School | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.8 |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.