What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dartmouth has the most homeowners (76%).

Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

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	Dartmouth	Lowell
People
Population	33,328Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.5±2Highest 6% above MA	35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA
Kids under 18	14.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39%Highest MA: 47.3%	30%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$99,839±$8kHighest 4% below MA	$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$496,500±$20kHighest 12% below MA	$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,462±$159Lowest 17% below MA	$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA
	Lowell and Dartmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,263Lowest 29% below MA	$4,499Highest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Dartmouth and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Lowest MA: 10%	16.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76%Highest MA: 62.5%	43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 9% below MA	28 minHighest 4% below MA
Work from home	12.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Dartmouth and Lowell 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	#115 of 282 in MA	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Dartmouth	Lowell
High school in town	Dartmouth High	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	14.8Highest
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.