Compare towns
Tyngsborough vs Chelmsford vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Tyngsborough has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Chelmsford has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
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 | Tyngsborough | Chelmsford | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,550Lowest |
36,446Highest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
41.6±1.9 4% above MA |
41.7±2Highest 4% above MA |
| Dracut and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Tyngsborough and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dracut and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.8% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Tyngsborough and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,348±$18k 24% above MA |
$140,629±$8kHighest 35% above MA |
$114,036±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Chelmsford and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,500±$34k about the MA average |
$593,700±$17kHighest 6% above MA |
$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
| Chelmsford and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$404 13% above MA |
$2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA |
$1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA |
| Chelmsford and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,426 24% above MA |
$8,047Highest 34% above MA |
$5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.2%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Tyngsborough and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.1% MA: 62.5% |
79.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.6%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chelmsford and Tyngsborough 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 | #174 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical · Tyngsborough | Chelmsford | Dracut |
| High school in town | Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical | Chelmsford High | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.0Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.