Compare towns
Lowell vs Standish vs Windham 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).
Standish has the most affordable homes ($336k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Standish | Windham | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
10,662Lowest |
19,188 |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
40.5±2.8 4% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
| Windham 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% |
16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 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% |
15.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Windham 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% |
36% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Standish and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Windham 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. |
$336,000±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499 44% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$5,375Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Standish 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | Dracut |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.