Compare towns
Lowell vs Lancaster vs Chelmsford
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 renters (56.8% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Chelmsford has the most expensive homes ($594k median).
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 | Lancaster | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
8,606Lowest |
36,446 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
41.6±1.9 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Lowell and Chelmsford 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$140,629±$8kHighest 35% above MA |
| Chelmsford and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$593,700±$17kHighest 6% above MA |
| Chelmsford and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,062±$151 17% above MA |
| Lancaster and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,047Highest 34% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Chelmsford 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Nashoba | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Lowell High | None in town | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 14.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.