Compare towns
Lowell vs Springfield vs Wakefield
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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Springfield | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368 |
154,749Highest |
27,793Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8 11% below MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
42.4±1.7Highest 6% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4k 24% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11k 24% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 8% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499 25% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Springfield | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Springfield Central High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.2 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.