Compare towns

Pelham vs Woonsocket 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%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).

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.

MeasurePelhamWoonsocketDracut
People
Population
14,449Lowest
43,521Highest
32,574
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±2.7
7% above U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% 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%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.4%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket 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%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.9%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Pelham and Woonsocket 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.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below 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.
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$473,900±$17k
42% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,425±$88
about the U.S. average
$1,161±$48Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,839±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,634Highest
177% above U.S.
$3,960Lowest
27% above U.S.
$5,375
72% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
67.3%±12.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4Lowest
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%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
12% above U.S.
29 minLowest
11% above U.S.
30 minHighest
15% above U.S.
Work from home
22.8%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.4%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #48 of 120 in NH #37 of 38 in RI #201 of 282 in MA
School district Pelham School District RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Dracut
High school in town Pelham High School Woonsocket High School Dracut Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school
10.4Lowest
15.2Highest
12.9
On TownTapestry
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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.