What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k 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	St. Albans
People
Population	32,574Highest	6,954Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
	Dracut and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Dracut and St. Albans 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%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dracut and St. Albans 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%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dracut and St. Albans 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.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S.	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Highest 72% above U.S.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dracut and St. Albans 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%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 15% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	St. Albans 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	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Dracut	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	11.4Lowest
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.