Compare towns
Dracut vs Stratham 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Stratham has the most people working from home (25.3%).
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 | Stratham | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
7,754Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Dracut and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stratham and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham 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% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.