What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).

Lowell has the most kids (21.7% under 18).

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	Boston	Lowell
People
Population	666,442Highest	118,368Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA	35.6±0.8Highest 11% below MA
Kids under 18	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13%±0.3Highest MA: 17.9%	12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boston and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	30%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA	$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA	$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA	$1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA	$4,499Highest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±3.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lowell and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.6%Lowest MA: 10%	16.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	43.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA	1953Highest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 4% above MA	28 minLowest 4% below MA
Work from home	21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#258 of 282 in MA	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston	Lowell
High school in town	Boston Latin School	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	18.7Highest	14.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.