What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).

Hanover has the most people working from home (19.6%).

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	Hanover
People
Population	32,574Highest	14,845Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA	41.8±1.4Highest 4% above MA
	Hanover 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 MA: 19.4%	26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Hanover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dracut and Hanover 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 MA: 47.3%	56.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Dracut and Hanover 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 10% above MA	$189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA	$755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA	$1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA
	Hanover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Lowest 10% below MA	$9,342Highest 56% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Hanover 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 MA: 10%	4.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.6%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#201 of 282 in MA	#69 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	South Shore Vocational Technical High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.