Compare towns
Pelham vs Windham vs Lawrence 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%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Dracut has the oldest population (median age 41.7).
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 | Windham | Lawrence | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,449Lowest |
16,038 |
88,736Highest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% 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%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Lawrence 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% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Lawrence 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Lawrence 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #278 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pelham School District | Windham School District | Lawrence | Dracut |
| High school in town | Pelham High School | Windham High School | Lawrence High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
13.6Highest |
12.9 |
| 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.