Compare towns
Dracut vs Ware vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the highest household income ($114k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Ware | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 32,574 |
10,048Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 4% above MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
| Ware 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
30% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$78,658±$4k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 16% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$429,200±$11k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,625±$40 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Highest 10% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,499 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Ware | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
11.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.