Community & Data
Demographics
A Portrait of Lowell
Lowell is the fifth-largest city in Massachusetts and one of the most diverse places in New England. It was built by immigrants to run the mills, and it is still a gateway: 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 latest numbers, follow the source links at the bottom.
Key Figures
Sources: US Census Bureau (data.census.gov).
Population & Households
- Population (2024 estimate): 120,418
- 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: about 47%
- Asian: about 22%, one of the largest shares of any city in the state
- Hispanic or Latino (any race): about 20% and growing
- Black or African American: about 10%
- Cambodian community: the second-largest in the country, after Long Beach, California
- Two or more races: about 11%
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
Here is a number that tells you something real about Lowell politics: most voters belong to no party at all. The Secretary of the Commonwealth tracks registration by city, and in Lowell the unenrolled, voters who pick no party, are by far the largest group. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans roughly four to one.
- Total registered: 75,064 (February 1, 2025)
- Unenrolled (independent): 49,984 (66.59%)
- Democrat: 19,516 (26.00%)
- Republican: 4,655 (6.20%)
- Political designations: 909 (1.21%)
Sources
See how Lowell stacks up against the rest of the Commonwealth.