Compare towns

Dracut vs Williston 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 highest household income ($114k).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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.

MeasureDracutWillistonLowell
People
Population
32,574
10,144Lowest
118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+10.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.7±2
7% above U.S.
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
35.6±0.8Lowest
8% below U.S.
Williston 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%
20.5%±5.2Lowest
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%±2
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
12.6%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Williston 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%
54.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
30%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.1%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
9.7%±0.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$114,036±$10kHighest
41% above U.S.
$106,967±$12k
32% above U.S.
$78,658±$4kLowest
about the U.S. average
Dracut and Williston 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.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
$429,200±$11kLowest
29% above U.S.
Williston and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,839±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,832±$130
30% above U.S.
$1,625±$40Lowest
15% above U.S.
Dracut and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,375
72% above U.S.
$5,592Highest
79% above U.S.
$4,499Lowest
44% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
57.6%±7.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4Lowest
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%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
16.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
43.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1953Lowest
27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 minHighest
15% above U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
Work from home
11.4%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Highest
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 #11 of 70 in VT #255 of 282 in MA
School district Dracut Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 Lowell
High school in town Dracut Senior High None in town Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school
12.9Lowest
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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.