Compare towns
Dracut vs Gray vs Windham vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Andover has the most expensive homes ($856k 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 | Dracut | Gray | Windham | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
8,429Lowest |
19,188 |
36,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
42.9±1 10% above U.S. |
| Gray and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Andover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray 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% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.7%±7.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #68 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.