Compare towns
Tyngsborough vs Reading 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).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,550Lowest |
25,612 |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.7±2 4% above MA |
| Reading and Dracut 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% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Tyngsborough and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Dracut 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Tyngsborough and Dracut 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$114,036±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $552,500±$34k about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$404 13% above MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA |
| Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.2%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
79.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.6%±5.6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #174 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical · Tyngsborough | Reading | Dracut |
| High school in town | Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical | Reading Memorial High | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.1 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.