Compare towns
Dracut vs Middlebury vs Ripton 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 expensive homes ($474k median).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Middlebury | Ripton | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
9,175 |
508Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
| Ripton 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 U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 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% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16k 7% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dracut and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$409,700±$30k 23% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,156±$113Lowest 18% below U.S. |
— | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Ripton 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% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Ripton 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | — | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Middlebury Union High School | None in town | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.6Lowest |
— | 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.