Compare towns
Methuen vs Upton vs Attleboro vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Attleboro has the most renters (33.8% rent).
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 | Upton | Attleboro | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
8,189Lowest |
46,762 |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.6% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.8±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
41.7±2 4% above MA |
| Upton and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±2 MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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 MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
36.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$7k 9% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$98,954±$6kLowest 5% below MA |
$114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
| Upton and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$448,100±$13kLowest 20% below MA |
$473,900±$17k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,590±$83 10% below MA |
$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA |
| Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,366 10% below MA |
$5,375 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
48%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
66.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #185 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Attleboro | Dracut |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Blackstone Valley | Attleboro High | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.2Lowest |
15.3Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.