Compare towns
Dracut vs Chester 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 highest household income ($114k).
Chester has the most affordable homes ($233k 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 | Chester | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
2,992Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest 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. |
49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell and Dracut 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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$232,900±$44kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chester and Dracut 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Green Mountain Union High School | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
8.7Lowest |
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.