What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Pawtucket has the most renters (49.9% 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	Pawtucket
People
Population	32,574Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pawtucket and Dracut 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%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pawtucket 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.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Highest 72% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and Pawtucket 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%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dracut and Pawtucket 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	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Dracut	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	14.6Highest
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.