What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Mansfield has the most people working from home (20%).

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	Mansfield
People
Population	32,574Highest	23,931Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 4% above MA	41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA
	Dracut and Mansfield 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%	22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Mansfield 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%	15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dracut and Mansfield 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%	51.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Mansfield 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±$10kLowest 10% above MA	$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA
	Mansfield and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA	$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA	$1,803±$147Lowest about the MA average
	Dracut and Mansfield 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	$7,226Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8%	38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest MA: 10%	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#201 of 282 in MA	#60 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Mansfield
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Mansfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	11.1Lowest
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.