Compare towns
Dracut vs Lowell vs Ogunquit vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Ogunquit | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
118,368Highest |
1,379Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
— | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 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% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA | — | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dracut | Lowell | — | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Lowell High | — | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
14.8Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.