Signals
Needham
Lowell
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs59 · Bottom 20%
Schools
92 · Top 2%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
97 · Top 24%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
80 · Top 8%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Needham | Lowell | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,459 | 118,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $214,308 | $78,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $102,328 | $36,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,639/sq mi | 8,697/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,188,500 | $429,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,409 | $1,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.9% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 86°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.9" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.1 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.21 | 12.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 60.7% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 72.4% | 37.1% | 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
Needham
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Lowell
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Needham, MA · Lowell, MA · How this is calculated: methodology