Compare towns
Townsend vs Windham 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
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Townsend | Windham | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
16,038 |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Windham School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Windham High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.