Compare towns
Dover vs Dracut vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most people working from home (34.2%).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Dover | Dracut | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
32,574 |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
41.7±2 4% above MA |
35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
| Dover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dracut and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.4% MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lowell and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$473,900±$17k 16% below MA |
$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
| Dover 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 |
$5,375 10% below MA |
$4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.8% MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #1 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Dracut | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Dracut Senior High | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
12.9 |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.