What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has the most homeowners (79.8%).

Dover has the most people working from home (18.6%).

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	Dover
People
Population	32,574Lowest	33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S.	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dracut and Dover 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%	52%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S.	$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S.	$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.	$8,249Highest 164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#201 of 282 in MA	#64 of 120 in NH
School district	Dracut	Dover School District
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	12.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.