What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).

Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).

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	Dracut	Bedford
People
Population	32,574Highest	23,746Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S.
	Bedford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bedford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dracut and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,036±$10kLowest 41% above U.S.	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S.	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Lowest 30% above U.S.	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.
	Bedford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bedford and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#201 of 282 in MA	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	Dracut	Bedford School District
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	13.5Highest
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.