The Town FilesLowell, Massachusetts
City in Middlesex County · population 115,554 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $429,200
- Household income
- $78,658
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 61 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 35.6
Lowell is a city of 115,554 people in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $429,200, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of Massachusetts towns, more walkable than 97% of Massachusetts towns, hipper than 86% of Massachusetts towns.
How Lowell ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lowell is worth $429,200, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $78,658, which is more affordable than 28% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,625 a month. 43.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lowell | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $429,200 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,625 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $78,658 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 43.2% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Lowell
| People | Lowell | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 30.5% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Lowell
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.0 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lowell since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 29, 1974 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 1984.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 31, 1973.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| April 13, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4214: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 926,104 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $113,704 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Lowell itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Lowell
29 public schools with 16,349 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell High | 9-12 | 3,402 | 14.5 |
| Collegiate Charter School of Lowell (charter) | K-12 | 1,211 | 15.0 |
| Rogers STEM Academy | K-8 | 858 | 13.4 |
| Lowell Community Charter Public School (charter) | PK-8 | 817 | 12.0 |
| James S Daley Middle School | 5-8 | 680 | 12.8 |
| Dr An Wang School | 5-8 | 658 | 13.4 |
| Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School | 5-8 | 625 | 12.5 |
| James Sullivan Middle School | 5-8 | 617 | 12.3 |
| Henry J Robinson Middle | 5-8 | 592 | 10.8 |
| B.F. Butler Middle School | 5-8 | 505 | 12.0 |
| Abraham Lincoln | PK-4 | 489 | 12.2 |
| S Christa McAuliffe Elementary | PK-4 | 482 | 13.0 |
Towns near Lowell
- Dracut, MA3.0 mi · 32,617 people · home $473,900
- Chelmsford, MA3.8 mi · 36,392 people · home $593,700
- Tewksbury, MA5.1 mi · 31,342 people · home $573,600
- Tyngsborough, MA5.8 mi · 12,380 people · home $552,500
- Billerica, MA6.3 mi · 42,119 people · home $612,000
- Pelham, NH6.4 mi · 14,222 people · home $552,600
- Westford, MA7.1 mi · 24,643 people · home $748,500
- Carlisle, MA7.4 mi · 5,237 people · home $1,103,900
Lowell questions
Is Lowell, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lowell scores better for retirees than 1% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 1%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Lowell?
The median owner-occupied home in Lowell is valued at $429,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,658, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,625 a month.
What is the weather like in Lowell?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 61.0 inches of snow.
Does Lowell get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lowell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 29, 1974. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)