Compare towns
Pelham vs Mapleton vs Methuen 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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Mapleton | Methuen | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449 |
1,884Lowest |
53,475Highest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
41.8±6Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and Dracut 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Pelham 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% |
18.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mapleton and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen 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. |
$91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% 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. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Methuen 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. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #48 of 120 in NH | — | #236 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham School District | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Methuen | Dracut |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | None in town | Methuen High | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.