Signals
Saugus
Lowell
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 27%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 20%
Schools
54 · Top 47%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
71 · Top 28%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Saugus | Lowell | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,773 | 118,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $101,539 | $78,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,230 | $36,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,670/sq mi | 8,697/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $603,400 | $429,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,241 | $1,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.5% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| 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 | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.5 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.52 | 12.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.1% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.3% | 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
Saugus
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Lowell
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Saugus, MA · Lowell, MA · How this is calculated: methodology