Compare towns
Dracut vs Bellows Falls 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
Dracut has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Bellows Falls has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | Dracut | Bellows Falls | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
2,891Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.3±6.7 6% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bellows Falls and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bellows Falls and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±4.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lowell and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest 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 | 7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dracut 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | — | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | — | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | — | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.