Compare towns
Unity vs Lowell vs Jefferson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the highest household income ($88k).
Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Jefferson has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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.
| Measure | Unity | Lowell | Jefferson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,375 |
118,368Highest |
1,013Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
58±3.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±9.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
$67,188±$13kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Unity and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,100±$29kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$296,700±$92k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
$867±$156Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
$4,196Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±71.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lowell and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jefferson 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 | — | #255 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Unity School District | Lowell | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Lowell High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 14 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.