01852 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01852
01905
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 35%
vs48 · Bottom 36%
Growth
60 · Top 33%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
63 · Bottom 26%
vs65 · Bottom 37%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 27%
vs53 · Bottom 15%
Schools
32 · Bottom 26%
vs30 · Bottom 23%
Access
91 · Bottom 45%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
60 · Top 49%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 01852 | 01905 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,144 | 28,221 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,906 | $84,333 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,981 | $33,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,469/sq mi | 9,253/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,300 | $499,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,581 | $1,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.3% | 51.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 34.7% | 32.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.9" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 35.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 33.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.65 | 12.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 15.4% | 15.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 30.0% | 25.8% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
01852
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
01905
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Full profiles: 01852 — Lowell, MA · 01905 — Lynn, MA · How this is calculated: methodology