Compare towns
Brookline vs Dracut vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
Dracut has the oldest population (median age 41.7).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
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 | Brookline | Dracut | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
32,574 |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lowell and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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 221% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Dracut | Lowell |
| High school in town | None in town | Dracut Senior High | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.