Compare towns
Auburn vs Lowell vs Millbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Millbury has the most people working from home (14.8%).
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.
| Measure | Auburn | Lowell | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
118,368Highest |
13,961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
| Auburn and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3Lowest 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% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA |
| Millbury and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$429,200±$11k 24% below MA |
$450,100±$19kHighest 20% below MA |
| Millbury and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Lowell and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289 12% below MA |
$4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,406Highest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Millbury and Auburn 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 | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Lowell | Millbury |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Lowell High | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
14.8Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.