Compare towns
Dracut vs Windham vs Exeter 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
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Windham | Exeter | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
16,038Lowest |
16,151 |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Exeter 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Exeter 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Windham School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lowell |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Windham High School | Exeter High School | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.