Compare towns
Lowell vs Mendon 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).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Mendon | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
1,113Lowest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Mendon 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% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest 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% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$1,230±$651Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Dracut 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | — | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | — | Dracut |
| High school in town | Lowell High | — | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.9Lowest |
| 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.