Compare towns
Lowell vs Williston 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).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Dracut has the highest household income ($114k).
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 | Williston | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
10,144Lowest |
32,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.7±2 7% above 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 | 21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2 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+ | 30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 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 |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% 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 | $1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% 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 | $4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest 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 | 16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Dracut |
| High school in town | Lowell High | None in town | 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.