What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lowell has the most people working from home (10.6%).

New Bedford has the most affordable homes ($357k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lowell	New Bedford
People
Population	118,368Highest	100,998Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA	37±0.8Highest 8% below MA
	New Bedford and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	New Bedford 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%	15.4%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Highest MA: 47.3%	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,658±$4kHighest 24% below MA	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$429,200±$11kHighest 24% below MA	$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,499Highest 25% below MA	$4,338Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	New Bedford and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.9%Lowest MA: 10%	20.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	43.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Highest 11 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 4% below MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	10.6%±1.3Highest MA: 18.6%	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#255 of 282 in MA	#263 of 282 in MA
School district	Lowell	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Lowell High	New Bedford High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	13.5Lowest
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.