Compare towns

Pelham vs Dracut vs Barrington

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Dracut has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Barrington has the most affordable homes ($399k 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.

MeasurePelhamDracutBarrington
People
Population
14,449
32,574Highest
9,489Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2.7
7% above U.S.
41.7±2Highest
7% above U.S.
38.7±2.3Lowest
about the U.S. average
Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
22%±2.7
U.S.: 22%
21.4%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.7%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Barrington and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.5%±1.8
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.6%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
40%
U.S.: 35.7%
36.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
42.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.9%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.3%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Pelham and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$135,956±$19kHighest
68% above U.S.
$114,036±$10k
41% above U.S.
$110,323±$14kLowest
37% above U.S.
Pelham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$552,600±$27kHighest
66% above U.S.
$473,900±$17k
42% above U.S.
$399,100±$30kLowest
20% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,425±$88Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,839±$130
30% above U.S.
$1,867±$194Highest
32% above U.S.
Barrington and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,634Highest
177% above U.S.
$5,375Lowest
72% above U.S.
$7,121
128% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
67.3%±12.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.6%±7.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
63.1%±25.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Pelham and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1975Lowest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minLowest
12% above U.S.
30 minHighest
15% above U.S.
30 min
14% above U.S.
Work from home
22.8%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.4%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.7%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Pelham and Barrington 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 #48 of 120 in NH #201 of 282 in MA #65 of 120 in NH
School district Pelham School District Dracut Barrington School District
High school in town Pelham High School Dracut Senior High None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
10.4Lowest
12.9Highest
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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.