Compare towns
Dracut vs Bow vs Billerica 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Billerica has the most expensive homes ($612k 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 | Bow | Billerica | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
8,335Lowest |
42,003 |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.3±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Billerica and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$148,200±$8k 84% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$612,000±$13kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,358 104% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.3%±8.9 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Billerica 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #146 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Bow School District | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Bow High School | Billerica Memorial High School | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.8Lowest |
14.1 |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.