What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has the most homeowners (79.8%).

Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).

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	Lawrence
People
Population	32,574Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 4% above MA	32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Lawrence 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 10% above MA	$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 16% below MA	$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA	$1,662±$50Lowest 6% below MA
	Dracut and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Highest 10% below MA	$3,422Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lawrence and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest MA: 10%	17.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 4% above MA	23 minLowest 21% below MA
Work from home	11.4%±2Highest MA: 18.6%	6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#201 of 282 in MA	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Lawrence
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.