Lowell, Massachusetts
Among the top 10% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 10% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 44% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 74% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 90% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 24% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 3% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 2% for cost of living
Lowell is a city in Massachusetts with about 115,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, natural disaster risk, and school quality. It rates lower on annual snowfall and cost of living.
Official websitelowellma.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
66%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.8 in
humid 76%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$73k65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$79kbetter than 2% of US places
Home Value$363k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 17% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 16% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.15%better than 41% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
Sales Tax6.25%better than 81% of US places
Estimated total tax burden16.78%better than 13% of US places
Unemployment5.7%better than 33% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)27°F33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.5 in73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall59.0 inbetter than 10% of US places
Sunny Days230 daysbetter than 46% of US places
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 71% of US places
Comfortable Days85 daysbetter than 58% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk17.9better than 97% of US places
Air Quality40 AQIbetter than 76% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime1625/100kbetter than 14% of US places
Property Crime1749/100kbetter than 24% of US places
Community
Population114,73799th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.621st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6496th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9952nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+464th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)46.5%16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)8.8%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)17.8%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)22.5%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.4%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 41% of US places
Walkability15.6/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance25 mibetter than 85% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.2%better than 46% of US places
Amenities Nearby26.67better than 26% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 36% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lowell an affordable place to live?
- Lowell is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $79k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lowell?
- The median home value in Lowell is $363k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lowell?
- Median household income in Lowell is $73k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lowell?
- Median gross rent in Lowell is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lowell safe?
- Lowell is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1625/100k (better than 14%). Property crime is 1749/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lowell?
- Lowell averages 73°F in July and 27°F in January, with 48.5 in of annual precipitation and about 230 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lowell?
- Public-school quality in Lowell is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lowell?
- The average one-way commute in Lowell is 27 min.
Other places in Middlesex County
Places near Lowell
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)