What stands out worked out from the figures below

Derry has the most people working from home (16%).

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	Derry	Dracut
People
Population	34,116Highest	32,574Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±1.6Lowest 4% above U.S.	41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S.
	Dracut and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Dracut and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dracut and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Derry and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,944±$7kLowest 35% above U.S.	$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S.
	Dracut and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$432,000±$17kLowest 30% above U.S.	$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,547±$138Lowest 9% above U.S.	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,103Highest 160% above U.S.	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	30 minLowest 15% above U.S.
Work from home	16%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Derry and Dracut 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	#60 of 120 in NH	#201 of 282 in MA
School district	Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District	Dracut
High school in town	Pinkerton Academy	Dracut Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.9Highest	12.9Lowest
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.