What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Manchester has the most renters (51.3% 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	Manchester
People
Population	32,574Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S.	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Dracut and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dracut and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Manchester 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.	$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S.	$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.	$5,922Highest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and Manchester 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%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Manchester 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	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Dracut	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	6 photos →

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.