What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hingham has the most people working from home (33.1%).

Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k 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	Hingham	Dracut
People
Population	24,283Lowest	32,574Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA	41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	21.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hingham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%	18.2%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	76.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Dracut and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA	$114,036±$10kLowest 10% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA	$473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA	$1,839±$130Lowest 4% above MA
	Hingham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$5,375Lowest 10% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8%	57.6%±7.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hingham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.3%Lowest MA: 10%	7.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	79.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	30 minLowest 4% above MA
Work from home	33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%	11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#14 of 282 in MA	#201 of 282 in MA
School district	Hingham	Dracut
High school in town	Hingham High	Dracut Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9	12.9
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.