Compare towns
Pelham vs Durham 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
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Pelham | Durham | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
15,080 |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Dracut 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Durham 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. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Durham 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Oyster River High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.3 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 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.