Compare towns
Lowell vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Needham | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
32,459Lowest |
36,446 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
41.6±1.9 4% above MA |
| Needham and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Chelmsford and Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$140,629±$8k 35% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$593,700±$17k 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,062±$151 17% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,047 34% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 minHighest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Needham | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Needham High | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.9Lowest |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.