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Lowell vs Marion

233 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4× in Lowell) and growth since 2010 (+22.9 pts in Lowell).

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Lowell, ARA regional job hubArkansas · 10,849 people

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Marion, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 13,623 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.

LowellA regional job hub

Work13,541 jobsbased in Lowell, a regional job hub Housing$355K typical home56% above the AR typical home Schools#12 for schools in ARof 113 towns All about Lowell →

MarionOne of the healthiest towns

Health63% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 11%of U.S. towns we grade SchoolsBetter than 30%of AR districts All about Marion →

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.

Jobs per worker4×

Lowell is more of a job hub

Lowell 2.57Marion 0.65

Growth since 2010+22.9 pts

Lowell has grown faster since 2010

Lowell +34.3%Marion +11.4%

Marion has more miles of trail

Marion 3.5 miLowell 1.4 mi

Home values+34%

Homes cost more in Lowell

Lowell $284,200Marion $212,400

Work from home+8.3 pts

More people work from home in Lowell

Lowell 16%Marion 7.7%

Household income+22%

Households in Lowell earn more

Lowell $95,527Marion $78,330

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 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%

Lowell$2,030/mo

Typical home $355K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $1,136/mo · Housing →

Marion$1,420/mo

Typical home $240K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $1,148/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,400 a year, between Lowell and Marion.

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.

Report cards

Lowell places higher on 17 of 22 AR lists

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

Safety

BLowellSafer than 60% of U.S. towns DMarionSafer than 11% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−LowellBetter than 78% of districts in the state CMarionBetter than 30% of districts in the state

Health

B+LowellHealthier than 66% of U.S. towns C+MarionHealthier than 37% of U.S. towns

17Lowell

5Marion

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 113 towns #12#90 SafestSafety · 106 towns #13#77 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 127 towns #81#11 Most new homesHousing · 118 towns #9#64 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 127 towns #16#71 Lowest obesityHealth · 127 towns #26#74 Most remote workersWork · 126 towns #9#47 Most walkableOutdoors · 127 towns #74#111

Left end = #1 in Arkansas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Lowell’s rankings →

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

LowellMarion

Snow a year10″2″

January low24°F 31°F

July high89°F 91°F

Growing season (days)195d 235d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th 82nd

Outdoors & history

LowellMarion

Trails1 mi 4 mi

Conserved land0.6%0.7%

Settled1881 —

National Register places3 2

Archive photos12 —

Famous people born here—5

Community

LowellMarion

Library hours a week—41 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

233 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

LowellAR MarionAR

Lowell ↔ Marion233 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 Arkansas average

LowellMarion

People

Population 10,849Lowest 13,623Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +34.3%Highest AR: +3.3% +11.4%Lowest AR: +3.3%

Median age 32.3±1.8Lowest 16% below AR 35.8±2.4Highest 7% below AR

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

Kids under 18 27.3%±4.6Lowest AR: 23.1% 28.4%±3Highest AR: 23.1%

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

Age 65+ 12%±3.6Lowest AR: 17.6% 12.6%±1.6Highest AR: 17.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29%Highest AR: 25.7% 24.7%Lowest AR: 25.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±1.6Lowest AR: 5.1% 5.2%±1.6Highest AR: 5.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $95,527±$8kHighest 57% above AR $78,330±$9kLowest 29% above AR

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $284,200±$17kHighest 51% above AR $212,400±$12kLowest 13% above AR

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,136±$62Lowest 20% above AR $1,148±$51Highest 21% above AR

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,642Lowest 58% above AR $1,686Highest 62% above AR

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.1%±13.3Lowest AR: 44.8% 34.9%±8.3Highest AR: 44.8%

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

Below poverty line 6.9%Lowest AR: 16% 8.6%Highest AR: 16%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 70.2%Lowest AR: 66.4% 71.6%Highest AR: 66.4%

Typical home builtmedian year 2000Highest 13 yrs newer than AR 1999Lowest 12 yrs newer than AR

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 9% below AR 22 minHighest about the AR average

Work from home 16%±5.4Highest AR: 8.8% 7.7%±2.3Lowest AR: 8.8%

Work in townworking residents 9.2%Lowest 14.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.8 miLowest 14.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.57Highest 0.65Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Rogers (22%)Memphis (31%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarionFew work in Lowell

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Lowest 0.7%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 1.4 miLowest 3.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 5Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 39.8Highest 24.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #12 of 113 in AR #90 of 113 in AR

School district ROGERS SCHOOL DISTRICTMARION SCHOOL DISTRICT

High school in town None in townMarion High School

Students per teacherat that high school — 10.2

Arkansas 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.

Lowell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lowell’s Town Square.

Marion neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marion’s Town Square.

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Bordering Lowell

Rogers72,981 people · $308K homes

Springdale88,160 people · $262K homes

Cave Springs6,008 people · $460K homes

Towns like Lowell

Prairie Grove7,798 people · $256K homes

Pea Ridge8,108 people · $298K homes

Farmington9,094 people · $305K homes

Ward6,573 people · $189K 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.