Compare towns
Dracut vs Hanover 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%).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
8,479Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest 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%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Hanover 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% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Dracut 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #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.