What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the most homeowners (79.6%).

Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Lowell
People
Population	16,970Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA	35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lowell and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	30%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA	$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA	$429,200±$11kHighest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA	$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA
	Lowell and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Highest 12% below MA	$4,499Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±3.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lowell and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%	16.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 1 yr older than MA	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 12% below MA	28 minHighest 4% below MA
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Auburn and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#106 of 282 in MA	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Auburn	Lowell
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.