Compare towns
Dracut vs Lancaster vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
8,606Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 4% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
| Lancaster 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
| Lancaster 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 16% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
| Lancaster and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
| Lancaster and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 10% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Nashoba | 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 Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.