City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Lowell, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lowell - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

114,799
Residents
$76,205
Median income
$395,100
Median home
$2,941
Median rent (state)

Lowell - the verdict

Nationally, Lowell sits in the 57th percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

57th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
28th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lowell, MA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 114,799 residents in Lowell, a mid-sized U.S. city within Massachusetts. The typical household in Lowell brings in $76,205 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.1%. Typical homes in Lowell are valued around $395,100, and the median resident age is 35.5 years. Educational attainment runs 29.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 112 residential building permits were authorized in Lowell (Construction Slowdown), down 69% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2195.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 49.0°F with 48.5 inches of precipitation per year.

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Massachusetts at 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,941 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $330 across Massachusetts, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Lowell report an average commute of 24.8 minutes, with 73.0% driving alone and 10.0% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

114,799 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$76,205 /yr

Poverty 11.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Lowell compare to other US cities?

Where Lowell sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 57% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 28% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Massachusetts, Lowell ranks #139 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lowell's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Massachusetts, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

57thIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

57th percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lowell's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lowell's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Lowell's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lowell's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$395,100 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lowell $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lowell, MA Lowell, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lowell, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lowell, MA median $76,205/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lowell, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lowell, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
114,799
Median Income
$76,205
Median Home Value
$395,100
Median Age
35.5
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Labor force participation
63.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2195.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
532.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1662.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
49.0°F
Annual Precipitation
48.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
29
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
114,000 residents116,000 residents118,000 residents120,000 residents122,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 115,783 residents 119,971 residents ▲ +3.6%
Lowell's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
112
housing units authorized
Single-Family
38
detached homes
Multifamily
74
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 362
2020 189
2021 37
2022 47
2023 116
2024 112

Permit volume decreased 69% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.8 minutes
Drive Alone
73.0%
Carpool
8.6%
Public Transit
2.0%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
10.0%
Other
2.5%

Based on 57,492 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lowell sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,941/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Cambridge
117,794 people
Brockton
105,080 people
Quincy
101,361 people
Lynn
100,905 people
New Bedford
100,731 people
Fall River
93,764 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lowell's 114,799 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

League City, TX
114,885 people
East Los Angeles, CA
114,617 people
Carlsbad, CA
114,500 people
Waterbury, CT
114,356 people
High Point, NC
115,263 people
Provo, UT
114,303 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lowell's $76,205 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Dick, CA
$76,204 median income
Altamont, IL
$76,198 median income
Hull, IA
$76,213 median income
Mitiwanga, OH
$76,213 median income
St. Cloud, FL
$76,196 median income
Victoria, KS
$76,214 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lowell, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lowell, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 50.9% 10.8% 21.1% 7.7% 9.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 19.3% White 50.9% Black or African American 10.8% Asian 21.1% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 7.7% Two or more races 9.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lowell compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lowell (this city) 114,799 $76,205
Cambridge 117,794 $126,469
Brockton 105,080 $77,089
Quincy 101,361 $95,711
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lowell, MA?

What is the population of Lowell, MA? +

Lowell, MA has a population of 114,799 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lowell, MA? +

Lowell households earn a median of $76,205 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lowell? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lowell; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Lowell, MA safe? +

Lowell has a total crime rate of 2195.4 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lowell, MA? +

Homes in Lowell carry a median value of $395,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lowell? +

Climate normals put Lowell's yearly average temperature at 49.0°F, 48.5 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.