Compare towns
Temple vs Dracut vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Temple has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Dracut has the youngest population (median age 41.7).
Sharon has the most homeowners (93.1%).
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 | Temple | Dracut | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363 |
32,574Highest |
442Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2 27% above U.S. |
| Temple and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$113,125±$19k 40% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,458±$1k 3% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983 124% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$8,274Highest 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Temple and Dracut 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 | Contoocook Valley School District | Dracut | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.