Compare towns
Orford vs Dracut vs Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orford has the most renters (24.5% rent).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Fairlee has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Orford | Dracut | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,295 |
32,574Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,571±$24k 15% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$274,200±$39k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,263±$686 11% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,083±$242Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,836Highest 87% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$5,617 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Dracut 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 | — | #201 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rivendell Interstate School District | Dracut | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Rivendell Academy | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.