Compare towns
Lowell vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most affordable homes ($429k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).
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 | Lowell | Andover |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
36,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
42.9±1Highest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Andover and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
8.1%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$172,606±$16kHighest 66% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$855,600±$22kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
$2,201±$129Highest 25% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #68 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.