What it's like to live in Lowell
Lowell is a small city in Arkansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and household incomes running above the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lowell deals with cold winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
The not so good
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Lowell compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lowell
Based on Lowell's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,272
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $45,440 a year
- 26% of Lowell renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$56,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,420
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 20% below US
$1,136/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,136 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $284,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $284,200 · 26% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Benton County is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Benton County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 34% below US
216 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 424/100k · Lowell Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 88°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 19% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pea Ridge National Military Park (15 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lowell's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold winters and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city. A year of median rent ($1,136/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Lowell
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