Compare towns
Dracut vs St. Albans 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 homeowners (79.8%).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
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 | St. Albans | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
6,954Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Dracut and St. Albans 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% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest 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%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and St. Albans 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. Albans 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.4Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.