What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Pembroke has the most people working from home (17%).

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	Pembroke
People
Population	32,574Highest	7,438Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	41.9±3.3Highest 8% above U.S.
	Pembroke and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	24%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pembroke 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%	16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dracut and Pembroke 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%	32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dracut and Pembroke 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.	$89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S.
	Dracut and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S.	$371,500±$20kLowest 12% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,218±$354Lowest 14% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Lowest 72% above U.S.	$7,589Highest 143% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.4%±21.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and Pembroke 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%	15%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Pembroke 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	#85 of 120 in NH
School district	Dracut	Pembroke School District
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Pembroke Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	13.1Highest
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.