Compare towns
Strafford vs Dracut vs Tunbridge vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Strafford | Dracut | Tunbridge | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,372 |
32,574Highest |
1,253 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.7±8.3 10% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$89,464±$26kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$315,300±$23kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$789Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,346±$128 5% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,645Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Tunbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.8%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Tunbridge and Mendon 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 | — | #201 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Strafford School District | Dracut | First Branch Unified School District #82 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.