Compare towns
Dracut vs Stratton vs Andover 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
Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).
Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).
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 | Stratton | Andover | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
532Lowest |
36,652 |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
31.5±4.1Lowest 19% below U.S. |
42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
| Andover and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
28%±7.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.6%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratton and Andover 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% |
11.7%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Andover 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% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$122,708±$33k 52% above U.S. |
$172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$400,000±$50kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,208±$979Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,750 52% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±69.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.7%±7.7 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 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 min 15% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #201 of 282 in MA | — | #68 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | — | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | — | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
— | 12.8Lowest |
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.