What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k 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	Westfield
People
Population	32,574Lowest	40,378Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.7±2Highest 4% above MA	39.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average
	Dracut and Westfield 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%	18.1%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Dracut and Westfield 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%	18.7%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Westfield and Dracut 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 MA: 47.3%	33.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,036±$10kHighest 10% above MA	$87,753±$6kLowest 16% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$473,900±$17kHighest 16% below MA	$325,100±$11kLowest 42% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA	$1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,375Highest 10% below MA	$4,746Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8%	46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dracut and Westfield 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%	10.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1964Lowest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 4% above MA	27 minLowest 9% below MA
Work from home	11.4%±2Highest MA: 18.6%	8.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Dracut and Westfield 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	#197 of 282 in MA
School district	Dracut	Westfield
High school in town	Dracut Senior High	Westfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.