Compare towns
Mapleton vs Dracut vs Sidney vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Dracut has the most expensive homes ($474k median).
Sidney has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Dracut | Sidney | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
32,574Highest |
4,790 |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
43±5.5Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Sidney and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$80,724±$9kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dracut and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
$267,600±$42k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$2,474 21% below U.S. |
$3,276 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 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 | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Union and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Dracut | RSU 18 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.