What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dracut has the most kids (21.4% under 18).

Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).

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	Wareham
People
Population	32,574Highest	23,302Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA	52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Wareham 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 10% above MA	$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 16% below MA	$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA	$1,504±$180Lowest 15% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Highest 10% below MA	$4,341Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8%	51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dracut and Wareham 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%	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 4% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Wareham 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	#272 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Wareham
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Wareham Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	8.6Lowest
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.