Compare towns
Dracut vs Worcester vs Pelham
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 population (median age 41.7).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Worcester | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
207,055Highest |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Pelham 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% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Pelham 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% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Dracut 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. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dracut | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | South High Community | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
14.6Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.