What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has the most homeowners (79.8%).

Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).

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	Salem
People
Population	32,574Lowest	44,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 4% above MA	39.3±1.5Lowest about the MA average
	Dracut and Salem 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%	15.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Dracut and Salem 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%	47.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,036±$10kHighest 10% above MA	$85,153±$5kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA	$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA	$1,836±$84Lowest 4% above MA
	Dracut and Salem 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	$6,114Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8%	54.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dracut and Salem 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%	12.1%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 4% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#201 of 282 in MA	#248 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Salem
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Salem High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	9.8Lowest
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.