What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ludlow has the most homeowners (77.5%).

Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

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	Ludlow	Lowell
People
Population	20,904Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA	35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA
Kids under 18	16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27%Lowest MA: 47.3%	30%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA	$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA
	Ludlow and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,300±$10kLowest 40% below MA	$429,200±$11kHighest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,223±$82Lowest 31% below MA	$1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,918Highest 18% below MA	$4,499Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±3.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lowell and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest MA: 10%	16.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 31% below MA	28 minHighest 4% below MA
Work from home	14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Ludlow and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#154 of 282 in MA	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Ludlow	Lowell
High school in town	Ludlow Senior High	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.