Lowell, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Lowell, MA Summary

Cost of living in Lowell research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Lowell is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Lowell is 119, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lowell is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Lowell ranks as the #27 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 113.

  • Lowell ranks as the #4,736 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lowell is $312,600.

  • The median income in Lowell is $64,489.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
119
Lowell's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lowell, MA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lowell has an overall cost of living index of 119, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Lowell has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Massachusetts's index of 143.

The standard of living in Lowell ranks as #27 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Lowell ranks as the #86 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Lowell, check out:

27 out of 113
In Massachusetts
4,736 out of 6,412
In America

Lowell Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lowell. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Lowell is 128.

  • The Groceries index in Lowell is 111.

  • The Health index in Lowell is 120.

  • The Housing index in Lowell is 124.

  • The Transportation index in Lowell is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Lowell is 122.

Living Expense Lowell Massachusetts National Average
Overall 119 143 100
Services 128 126 100
Groceries 111 108 100
Health 120 117 100
Housing 124 202 100
Transportation 110 114 100
Utilities 122 123 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Lowell Cost of Living Vs. MA

Lowell, MA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Lowell is $312,600.

  • The Median Rent in Lowell is $1,311.

  • The Median Income in Lowell is $64,489.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lowell is 4.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lowell is 0.24x.

Statistic Lowell Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $312,600 $424,700 $244,900
Median Rent $1,311 $1,429 $1,163
Median Income $64,489 $89,026 $69,021
Home Value To Income 4.8x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Lowell, MA
$312,600
Median Home Value
$1,311
Median Rent
$64,489
Median Income

Lowell, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Lowell Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Lowell Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.0 $1.06
Movie $14.43 $10.68
Bowling $21.0 $14.67
Haircut $34.97 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.17 $39.05

Detailed Lowell Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Lowell Massachusetts
Ground Beef $3.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.64 $1.39
Milk $2.27 $2.05
Potatoes $4.02 $3.29
Pizza $11.16 $10.62
Beer $9.29 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.3 $2.34

Detailed Lowell Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Lowell Massachusetts
Optometrist $102.75 $108.57
Doctor $194.0 $116.17
Dentist $108.27 $99.13

Detailed Lowell Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Lowell Massachusetts
Gasoline $2.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $64.47 $50.07

Detailed Lowell Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Lowell Massachusetts
All Electricity $233.87 $167.67
Phone $181.11 $175.64

Lowell SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lowell

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lowell. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Nashua, NH has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x Lowell.

  • Lawrence, MA has a cost of living index of 120, 1.0x Lowell.

  • Arlington, MA has a cost of living index of 162, 1.4x Lowell.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lowell
Nashua, NH 90,659 113 0.9x
Lawrence, MA 87,798 120 1.0x
Arlington, MA 46,045 162 1.4x
Lexington, MA 34,235 190 1.6x
Melrose, MA 29,567 145 1.2x
Belmont, MA 27,056 181 1.5x
Burlington, MA 26,234 149 1.3x
Reading, MA 25,483 152 1.3x
Wilmington, MA 23,311 146 1.2x
Winchester, MA 22,875 190 1.6x

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