Compare towns
Pelham vs Methuen vs Dracut vs Windham
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%).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Methuen | Dracut | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
53,475Highest |
32,574 |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% 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%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Methuen 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% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest 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±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Windham 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 | #236 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Pelham School District | Methuen | Dracut | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Methuen High | Dracut Senior High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.9 |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.