Compare towns
Middleborough vs Worcester vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleborough has the most people working from home (13.6%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Dracut has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Worcester | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,505Lowest |
207,055Highest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1Highest 9% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
41.7±2 4% above MA |
| Middleborough and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dracut and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Middleborough and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
36.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$114,036±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$473,900±$17kHighest 16% below MA |
| 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±$72 3% below MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023Highest about the MA average |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$5,375 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Middleborough and Worcester 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Dracut |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | South High Community | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.