What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dracut	Keene
People
Population	32,574Highest	22,939Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S.	37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S.
	Dracut and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Keene 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%	44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S.	$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S.	$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.	$6,812Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and Keene 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%	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Keene 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	#201 of 282 in MA	#81 of 120 in NH
School district	Dracut	Keene School District
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Keene High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	12.3Lowest
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.