What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

Bourne has the most homeowners (75.8%).

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	Lowell	Bourne
People
Population	118,368Highest	20,323Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4%	14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest MA: 47.3%	46%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA	$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA	$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA
	Lowell and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,499Highest 25% below MA	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	16.9%Highest MA: 10%	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	75.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% below MA	26 minLowest 11% below MA
Work from home	10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Bourne and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#255 of 282 in MA	#206 of 282 in MA
School district	Lowell	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Lowell High	Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	9.8Lowest
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.