Signals
Lowell
Brookline
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs92 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 20%
vs43 · Bottom 6%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs92 · Top 2%
Access
92 · Top 50%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Lowell | Brookline | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 118,368 | 63,266 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,658 | $142,101 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,400 | $96,682 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,697/sq mi | 9,362/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $429,200 | $1,246,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,625 | $2,835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.2% | 46.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 85.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 8.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 21 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 36 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.67 | 13.03 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.7% | 64.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.1% | 71.4% | 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
Lowell
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Brookline
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Lowell, MA · Brookline, MA · How this is calculated: methodology