Compare towns
Pelham vs Wayne 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).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
Dracut has the most renters (20.2% 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 | Wayne | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,449 |
1,101Lowest |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%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% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne 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. |
$93,194±$26kLowest 15% 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. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Pelham 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 |
| School district | Pelham School District | RSU 38 | Dracut |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | None in town | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.