Compare towns
Pelham vs Exeter 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 highest household income ($136k).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Dracut has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
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 | Exeter | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
16,151 |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dracut 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest 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%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%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% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Pelham 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. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Exeter High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.1 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 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.