Dracut is located in northeastern Middlesex County about 28 miles north of Boston. Home to 30,188 people, Dracut is known for its rural landscapes and handsome historic houses. But in recent years, Dracut has been experiencing intense modern development. So, what is there to love about living in Dracut?
Dracut is Centrally Located
Dracut is situated so as to provide ready access to the Lowell and Boston metropolitan areas to the south, the Atlantic seacoast to the east, and the mountains and lakes of New England to the north. There is an abundance of recreational, health care and educational institutions all within an hour or less drive.
Dracut is a Quaint Residential Community
Dracut is a pleasant residential community that is committed to preserving its agricultural, historical, and open space heritage. Former mill buildings along Beaver Brook have undergone adaptive reuse as commercial and residential facilities. It offers a full range of housing from high-end surrounding a golf course to affordable units and much in between. The only town in the world with the name “Dracut,” Dracut and its residents are well-regarded for their volunteerism and their willingness to help both individuals and families in distress.
Dracut Serves Its Seniors
“Dracut was an underserved market that has experienced a lot of growth over the last 10 years,” says Jason Robertson, principal at the Arbors, which opened the Arbors at Dracut, an assisted living community, in 2017.
Co-Owner of the Arbors Amie Hanrahan notes: “We’ve gotten a lot of nice feedback from everybody in town. We’ve been welcomed with open arms.” The Dracut Council on Aging also advocates on behalf of citizens 60 years and older to enhance the quality of their lives through the identification and assessment of their health, economic, social, and cultural needs. The senior center is a drop-in site for all Dracut seniors, offering a varied array of educational, recreational, and wellness programs. Older adults are familiarized with creative opportunities geared to stimulate interests in programs and to develop new friendships, as well as aiding seniors with issues of loneliness and isolation.
There Is Always Something Going on in Dracut
From the Grandparent’s Tea and the Annual Harvest Ball to the Veterans’ Breakfast with the Singing Trooper and the Annual Health Fair, there’s always something going on in Dracut. Just 15 minutes away in Lowell, there’s the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, Lowell National Historical Park, the New England Quilt Museum, the National Streetcar Museum, and the Four Oaks Golf Course.
“With summer trips to the beach planned, outings to the casino, a very active book club, and museum visits scheduled, there is a little something for everyone,” says the Arbors at Dracut Recreation Director Judi Parisi.
Dracut is a Good Place to Be Active
There are many beautiful walking trails in the Merrimack Valley area, including: Lowell, Dracut, Tyngsboro State Forest
- Great Brook Farm State Park
- Harold Parker State Forest
- Benson Park
- Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
There are also local recreational opportunities for families and adults, such as horseback riding lessons at the Cutter Farm, The Butterfly Place, Mill City Glass Works, and Pappas Indoor Golf & Baseball, Discover the Wonders Yoga, and Barre on Broadway. The Arbors at Dracut is the newest assisted living and memory care residential community in town, serving the communities of Dracut, Tynsborough, Lowell, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Andover, and Methuen, Massachusetts as well as Pelham, New Hampshire, and the surrounding communities. It didn’t take long for one of the assisted living community’s newest residents to fall in love with Dracut.
“Living here is very pleasant,” Helen says. “I didn’t have high expectations, and this has turned into a wonderful experience. When I talk with my friends on the phone, they still ask me if I am happy. I tell them, I am happier. Every day gets better.”