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Living in
Lowell.
About
Life in Lowell
If you're considering a move to this fifth-largest city in Massachusetts, you're looking at a place that's actively reinventing itself beyond its textile-mill heritage. The winters here are genuinely brutal, averaging 56 inches of snow annually with temperatures dropping into the low 30s Fahrenheit, but summers are warm and humid, and the city sits right at the confluence of the Merrimack and Concord rivers, giving you easy access to waterfront walks and outdoor trails, especially the Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsborough State Forest just minutes away. What actually makes Lowell distinctive is its deep cultural diversity: the city became a major refuge for Cambodian-Americans during the 1970s and now has the country's second-largest Cambodian community (15% of the population), alongside significant Puerto Rican, Irish, and Vietnamese communities, which shows up in everything from Southeast Asian restaurants to neighborhood festivals throughout the year.
Lowell at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.9%
Foreign-Born
30.5%
Broadband Internet
87.4%
of households
Population Growth
+3.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics30.5% foreign-born, most often from Cambodia
Who lives in Lowell: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lowell, the largest foreign-born group is from Cambodia (22.0%), and 13.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.7%
of residents
65 and Older
12.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.0%
of households
Married Couples
35.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.61
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 8% below MA average
Rent, home values, and income in Lowell
In Lowell, rent runs 8% below the MA average, and home values are 24% below the MA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,499
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
43.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1953
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $481,510 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above MA average
Unemployment in Lowell
Unemployment in Lowell is 0.6 percentage points higher than the MA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lowell Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.9 min avg
How Lowell residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lowell, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 55% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT)
Small hub686k passengers boarded in 2025
- 25 mi
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Major hub21.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 53% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lowell runs 53% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
505.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,392.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lowell Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Middlesex County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Middlesex County, which includes Lowell, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $73,400 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $23,700 |
| 2023 | 29 | Flood | $99,100 |
| 2022 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $111,000 |
| 2021 | 28 | Strong Wind | $583,500 |
| 2020 | 52 | Strong Wind | $552,300 |
| 2019 | 27 | Strong Wind | $263,750 |
| 2018 | 40 | Flood | $526,500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Middlesex County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Middlesex County, which includes Lowell, is typically good — 299 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
299
per year
Moderate Days
65
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Middlesex County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lowell has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.5"
Annual Snowfall
59.0"
Hot Days/Year
20
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
148
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
127
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 16°F | 3.61" |
| Feb | 37°F | 17°F | 3.20" |
| Mar | 45°F | 24°F | 4.32" |
| Apr | 59°F | 35°F | 4.06" |
| May | 70°F | 45°F | 3.81" |
| Jun | 79°F | 55°F | 4.37" |
| Jul | 85°F | 61°F | 3.86" |
| Aug | 83°F | 59°F | 4.00" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.89" |
| Oct | 62°F | 40°F | 5.00" |
| Nov | 51°F | 30°F | 3.85" |
| Dec | 40°F | 22°F | 4.54" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lowell
Lowell has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Lowell General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Bedford VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · 9.6 mi away · Bedford
Holy Family Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10 mi away · Methuen
Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.1 mi away · Lawrence
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lowell
Lowell's student/teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 30.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
29
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
30.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Lowell
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Public · 4-year · 11,434 students · in-state tuition $17,664 · 68% graduate · median earnings $77,989 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,231 students · in-state tuition $41,288 · 62% graduate · median earnings $72,105 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 1,135 students · in-state tuition $7,590 · 32% graduate · median earnings $53,357 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Lowell National Historical Park, 1 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lowell
Lowell has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Lowell National Historical Park (1 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Lowell National Historical Park
National Historical Park
1 mi awayMinute Man National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awaySaugus Iron Works National Historic Site
National Historic Site
20 mi awayLongfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
National Historic Site
21 mi awayBoston African American National Historic Site
National Historic Site
23 mi awayBoston National Historical Park
National Historical Park
23 mi awayJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
National Historic Site
23 mi awayFrederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
National Historic Site
24 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lowell
Samuel S. Pollard Memorial Library
401 Merrimack St., Lowell
Cities Near Lowell
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lowell?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lowell FAQ
Is Lowell, Massachusetts affordable?⌄
Lowell's median rent is $1,625/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $78,658/year. Median home value is $429,200.
Is Lowell, Massachusetts safe?⌄
Lowell's violent crime rate was 505 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1393 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lowell, Massachusetts?⌄
Lowell has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lowell, Massachusetts?⌄
The cost of living in Lowell is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,625/month and median household income is $78,658/year. The median home value is $429,200. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lowell, Massachusetts?⌄
The average commute in Lowell is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from