What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).

Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Amherst	Dracut
People
Population	11,861Lowest	32,574Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S.	41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Amherst and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Amherst and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Amherst and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dracut and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S.	$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S.	$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S.	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.
	Dracut and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,773Highest 213% above U.S.	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.	30 minLowest 15% above U.S.
Work from home	32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 120 in NH	#201 of 282 in MA
School district	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District	Dracut
High school in town	Souhegan Coop High School	Dracut Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.