Compare towns
Springfield vs Dracut vs Charlestown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Charlestown has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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.
| Measure | Springfield | Dracut | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084 |
32,574Highest |
4,889Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.6±8.5Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Springfield and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Charlestown and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Springfield and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dracut and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$47,338±$23kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$228,000±$62k 31% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,099±$85 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$5,143 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±24.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Charlestown and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Springfield 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | #201 of 282 in MA | #113 of 120 in NH |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Dracut | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | Dracut Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.