Compare towns
Lowell vs Gray vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Lowell | Gray | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
8,429Lowest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Gray and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 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+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499 44% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gray 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 | #255 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Dracut |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.5Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.