Compare towns
Methuen vs Dracut vs Stratham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Methuen | Dracut | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
32,574 |
7,754Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Methuen | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.9Lowest |
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| 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.