Residential comparison · 13 facts
Lowell, MA vs Springfield, 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 $73,500 in Springfield to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Springfield, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $96,500 in Lowell.
A few differences
- Lowell is higher on median household income ($78,658 vs $52,656).
- Springfield is lower on cost of living index (97 vs 113).
- Springfield is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,205/mo vs $1,647/mo).
Lowell vs Springfield · facet by facet
| Facet | Lowell, MA | Springfield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $429,200 | $245,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,647/mo | $1,205/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 | 97 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $78,658 | $52,656 |
| 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 · Springfield, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Lowell cheaper than Springfield?
- Springfield has the lower day-to-day cost index (97 vs 113 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Springfield equals $85,000 in Lowell?
- A household earning $85,000 in Lowell needs about $73,500 in Springfield to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Springfield lifestyle costs about $96,500 in Lowell.