Compare towns
Dracut vs Lowell vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the most homeowners (79.8%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Methuen has the most people working from home (12.2%).
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 | Lowell | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574Lowest |
118,368Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 4% above MA |
35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Dracut and Methuen 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% |
21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest 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%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
| Dracut and Methuen 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 |
$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
| Methuen and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA |
$1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
$1,749±$91 about the MA average |
| Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 10% below MA |
$4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,061 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Methuen 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 | #255 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Lowell | Methuen |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Lowell High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
14.8Highest |
13.1 |
| 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.