Somerville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lowell
Somerville
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 31%
vs72 · Top 20%
Growth
60 · Top 32%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Climate
63 · Bottom 26%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 26%
vs56 · Bottom 21%
Access
92 · Bottom 41%
vs99 · Top 18%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 44%
vs73 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Lowell | Somerville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 118,368 | 81,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,658 | $132,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,400 | $73,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,697/sq mi | 19,669/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $429,200 | $911,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,625 | $2,517 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.2% | 34.2% | 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% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 97 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 34.7% | 11.5% | 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 | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 31.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Somerville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Lowell
67
Your Score
66
Area Score
Somerville
71
Your Score
71
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lowell, MA · Somerville, MA · How this is calculated: methodology