What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has the most people working from home (14.1%).

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	Concord	Lowell
People
Population	44,375Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.7±1.3Highest 5% above U.S.	35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S.
Kids under 18	17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,902±$5kHighest 5% above U.S.	$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average
	Concord and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$350,900±$13kLowest 5% above U.S.	$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,441±$43Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,227Highest 132% above U.S.	$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.1%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lowell and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#89 of 120 in NH	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District	Lowell
High school in town	Concord High School	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.0Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.