Compare towns
Middleborough vs Exeter vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Dracut has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
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 | Middleborough | Exeter | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,505 |
16,151Lowest |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023 93% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Middleborough 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 | #170 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | Exeter High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.