Cambridge receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lowell
Cambridge
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs73 · Top 17%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 20%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
92 · Top 50%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Lowell | Cambridge | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 118,368 | 118,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,658 | $130,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,400 | $78,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,697/sq mi | 18,571/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $429,200 | $1,092,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,625 | $2,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.2% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 80.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 337 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 34.7% | 361.6% | 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 | 21 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 30.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 36 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.67 | 9.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.7% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.1% | 54.6% | 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.
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Lowell, MA · Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology