Compare towns
Lowell vs Plainfield vs Chelmsford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Chelmsford has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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.
| Measure | Lowell | Plainfield | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
15,141Lowest |
36,446 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
41.6±1.9Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Chelmsford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chelmsford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$140,629±$8kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$593,700±$17kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,062±$151Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499 44% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$8,047Highest 158% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.7%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lowell and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Plainfield School District | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Plainfield High School | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.