Compare towns
Andover vs Bow 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
Andover has the most expensive homes ($856k median).
Bow has the most homeowners (87.5%).
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 | Andover | Bow | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,652Highest |
8,335Lowest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Andover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Bow and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Bow School District | Dracut |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Bow High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.