What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleborough has the most homeowners (76.9%).

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	Middleborough	Lowell
People
Population	24,505Lowest	118,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.4±2.1Highest 9% above MA	35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA
Kids under 18	18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lowell and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32%Highest MA: 47.3%	30%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,056±$7kHighest 7% below MA	$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$468,700±$18kHighest 17% below MA	$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,706±$72Highest 3% below MA	$1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA
	Middleborough and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,023Highest about the MA average	$4,499Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8%	52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Middleborough and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%	16.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	43.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	28 minLowest 4% below MA
Work from home	13.6%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%	10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Middleborough 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	#170 of 282 in MA	#255 of 282 in MA
School district	Middleborough	Lowell
High school in town	Middleborough High	Lowell High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	14.8Highest
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.