What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has the most homeowners (79.8%).

Methuen has the most renters (27.7% 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	Methuen
People
Population	32,574Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	41.7±2Highest 4% above MA	39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average
	Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dracut and Methuen 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%	17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dracut and Methuen 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 MA: 47.3%	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Methuen 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	$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA
	Dracut and Methuen 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	$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA
	Methuen and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA	$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average
	Dracut and Methuen 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	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dracut and Methuen 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%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 4% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Methuen 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	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Methuen
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	13.1Highest
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.