Compare towns
Lowell vs Plainfield vs Tewksbury
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).
Tewksbury has the highest household income ($128k).
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 | Tewksbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
15,141Lowest |
31,273 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
46.1±2.5Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell and Plainfield 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% |
20.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Tewksbury 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% |
40.3%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% |
4.8%±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. |
$128,061±$12kHighest 59% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$573,600±$16kHighest 72% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,310±$200Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499 44% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,580Highest 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.9%±14.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Tewksbury 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #103 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Plainfield School District | Tewksbury |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Plainfield High School | Tewksbury Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.