01852 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01905
01852
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 36%
vs48 · Bottom 35%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
65 · Bottom 37%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 26%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 15%
vs64 · Bottom 27%
Schools
30 · Bottom 23%
vs32 · Bottom 26%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs91 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs60 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 01905 | 01852 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,221 | 37,144 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,333 | $80,906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,458 | $40,981 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,253/sq mi | 7,469/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $499,200 | $424,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,869 | $1,581 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.7% | 44.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 32.4% | 34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 30.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.1 | 38.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.45 | 13.65 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 15.4% | 15.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.8% | 30.0% | 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
01905
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
01852
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 01905 — Lynn, MA · 01852 — Lowell, MA · How this is calculated: methodology