Compare towns
Needham vs Methuen vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
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 | Needham | Methuen | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,459Lowest |
53,475Highest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +10.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
41.7±2 4% above MA |
| Needham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dracut and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA |
$114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average |
$1,839±$130 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$5,375 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Needham | Methuen | Dracut |
| High school in town | Needham High | Methuen High | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.