Compare towns
Dracut vs Calais 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%).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Calais | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
1,713Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
42±8.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Calais and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lowell and Calais 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. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dracut and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Lowest 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% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | — | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | 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.