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Community & Data
Demographics
A Portrait of Lowell
Lowell is the fifth-largest city in Massachusetts and one of its most diverse. A former mill city built by waves of immigrants, it remains a gateway community today, nearly a third of residents were born outside the United States, and students in its schools speak dozens of languages. The figures below come from the U.S. Census Bureau; for the most current numbers, follow the source links at the bottom.
Population & Households
- Population (2020 Census): 115,554
- Land area: about 13.6 square miles
- Density: roughly 8,500 people per square mile
- Median age: about 35.6 years
- Foreign-born: about 30% of residents
- Homeownership: about 43% of housing units
Race & Ethnicity
- White: ~47%
- Asian: ~22%, one of the largest shares in Massachusetts
- Black or African American: ~10%
- Hispanic or Latino (any race): a large and growing share
- Cambodian community: the second-largest in the U.S., after Long Beach, CA
- Two or more races / other: the remainder
Economy & Education
- Median household income: about $78,700
- Poverty rate: about 17%
- Median home value: about $429,000
- Top sectors: health care, manufacturing, retail, education
- Higher education: UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College anchor the city
- Mean commute: about 28 minutes
Registered Voters
Massachusetts publishes voter-registration counts by city through the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Lowell’s enrollment breaks down among Democrats, Republicans, and “Unenrolled” (independent) voters, who make up the largest group statewide.
- Total registered: [VERIFY, sec.state.ma.us voter registration statistics]
- Democrat / Republican / Unenrolled: [VERIFY, same source]
Sources
See how Lowell fits into the broader picture of the Commonwealth.