Residential comparison · 13 facts
Lowell, MA vs Methuen, MA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Lowell needs about $80,500 in Methuen to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Methuen, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,500 in Lowell.
A few differences
- Methuen is higher on median household income ($113,310 vs $78,658).
- Lowell is lower on cost of living index (113 vs 120).
- Lowell is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,647/mo vs $1,818/mo).
Lowell vs Methuen · facet by facet
| Facet | Lowell, MA | Methuen, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $429,200 | $499,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,647/mo | $1,818/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 113 | 120 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $78,658 | $113,310 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 30/100 | 30/100 |
| School rating | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Lowell, MA · Methuen, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Lowell cheaper than Methuen?
- Lowell has the lower day-to-day cost index (113 vs 120 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Methuen equals $85,000 in Lowell?
- A household earning $85,000 in Lowell needs about $80,500 in Methuen to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Methuen lifestyle costs about $89,500 in Lowell.