Compare towns
Dracut vs Gray vs Ogunquit 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
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Gray | Ogunquit | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ogunquit and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,473 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% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.5Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.