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Cascade Locks vs Lowell

129 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (12× in Cascade Locks) and kids under 18 (+10.3 pts in Lowell).

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Cascade Locks, ORKnown for its schoolsOregon · 1,378 people

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Lowell, ORKnown for its schoolsOregon · 1,228 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Cascade LocksKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 85%of OR districts HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$409K typical home18% below the OR typical home All about Cascade Locks →

LowellKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 26%of OR districts All about Lowell →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Cascade Locks has more miles of trail

Cascade Locks 7.2 miLowell 0.6 mi

Kids under 18+10.3 pts

Lowell has more kids

Lowell 24.8%Cascade Locks 14.5%

Street grid+66%

Lowell has the more walkable street grid

Lowell 42.3Cascade Locks 25.5

Growth since 2010+6.1 pts

Cascade Locks has grown faster since 2010

Cascade Locks +20.5%Lowell +14.4%

Typical home built14 yrs

Cascade Locks’s homes are older

Lowell 1993Cascade Locks 1979

Average commute4 min

Cascade Locks has the shorter commute

Lowell 29 minCascade Locks 25 min

★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Oregon ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

ACascade LocksBetter than 85% of districts in the state CLowellBetter than 26% of districts in the state

Health

BCascade LocksHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns B−LowellHealthier than 48% of U.S. towns

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Lowell

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Cascade Locks$2,370/mo

Typical home $409K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $1,102/mo · Housing →

Lowell$2,590/mo

Typical home $449K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →

The difference: $220 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Lowell and Cascade Locks.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

Cascade LocksLowell

Snow a year10″1″

January low34°F 37°F

July high79°F 80°F

Growing season (days)257d 263d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)83rd 87th

Outdoors & history

Cascade LocksLowell

Trails7 mi 1 mi

Conserved land6.3%3.5%

Settled1935 1954

National Register places3 3

Archive photos—6

Community

Cascade LocksLowell

Library hours a week20 hrs 20 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

129 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Cascade LocksOR LowellOR

Cascade Locks ↔ Lowell129 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Oregon average

Cascade LocksLowell

People

Population 1,378Highest 1,228Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +20.5%Highest OR: +10.6% +14.4%Lowest OR: +10.6%

Median age 51.6±15.9Highest 28% above OR 48.2±6.5Lowest 19% above OR

Cascade Locks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 14.5%±4.1Lowest OR: 19.9% 24.8%±4.1Highest OR: 19.9%

Age 65+ 23.6%±8.8Lowest OR: 19.1% 24.6%±4.4Highest OR: 19.1%

Lowell and Cascade Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.6%Highest OR: 36.8% 27.9%Lowest OR: 36.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±3.6Highest OR: 5.7% 2.2%±2Lowest OR: 5.7%

Cascade Locks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $70,000±$20kLowest 16% below OR $99,440±$17kHighest 20% above OR

Lowell and Cascade Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $385,100±$43kLowest 19% below OR $406,600±$74kHighest 15% below OR

Lowell and Cascade Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,102±$686Lowest 28% below OR $1,125±$106Highest 26% below OR

Lowell and Cascade Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,596Highest 33% below OR $2,579Lowest 33% below OR

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.3%±28.3Lowest OR: 52.5% 70.4%±98.5Highest OR: 52.5%

Lowell and Cascade Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 8.2%Highest OR: 11.9% 6.9%Lowest OR: 11.9%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.7%Lowest OR: 63.3% 83.6%Highest OR: 63.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 2 yrs older than OR 1993Highest 12 yrs newer than OR

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 7% above OR 29 minHighest 25% above OR

Work from home 17.5%±9.7Highest OR: 19% 9.8%±4.2Lowest OR: 19%

Cascade Locks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 5.1%Highest 3.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 18.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.53Highest 0.49Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Hood River (20%)Eugene (31%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LowellFew work in Cascade Locks

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 6.3%Highest 3.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 7.2 miHighest 0.6 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.4 miHighest 0.5 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 25.5Lowest 42.3Highest

Schools

School district Hood River County SDLowell SD 71

High school in town None in townLowell Junior/Senior High School

Students per teacherat that high school — 15.2

Oregon average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Cascade Locks neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cascade Locks’s Town Square.

Lowell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lowell’s Town Square.

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Towns like Cascade Locks

Rockaway Beach1,562 people · $342K homes

Oakland1,048 people · $347K homes

Bay City1,875 people · $394K homes

Sublimity2,919 people · $481K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.