Compare towns
Dracut vs Pelham 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
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Pelham | Ripton | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
14,449 |
508Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 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% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham and Lowell 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% |
16.5%±1.8 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Pelham 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 42% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% 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. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Dracut 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% |
3.7%Lowest 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% |
86.7% 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. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer 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. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham 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 | #48 of 120 in NH | — | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Pelham School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Pelham High School | None in town | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
10.4Lowest |
— | 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.