What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).

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	Peabody
People
Population	32,574Lowest	54,695Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA	45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA
	Peabody and Dracut 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%	18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dracut and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	35%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Dracut and Peabody 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	$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA	$596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA	$1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA
	Peabody and Dracut 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	$5,065Lowest 15% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8%	58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Peabody and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest MA: 10%	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 4% above MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	11.4%±2Highest MA: 18.6%	10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Dracut and Peabody 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	#228 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Peabody
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Peabody Veterans Memorial High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	10.3Lowest
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.