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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Lowell

Massachusetts · 103,439 residents · 13.6 sq mi
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The short version

Lowell is a city of 103,439 people in Massachusetts. Owners hold 42% of the housing stock. This skews young, with a median age of 29.2. The typical home is worth $130,600. Households here earn about 21% less than in Massachusetts as a whole. About 16% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 29.2
US median: 33.0
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 32%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
103,439
−2%vs 2000
vs 105,167 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
29.2
−7%vs 2000
vs 31.4 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
13.6 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
102K106K111K115K120K19902000201020202024Lowell
2024118K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.6%(8,881)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.7%(7,922)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.3%(6,513)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.4%(7,688)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2410.3%(10,699)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3420.5%(21,243)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4412.1%(12,566)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547.6%(7,909)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.2%(7,458)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.1%(7,323)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.8%(3,966)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.2%(1,271)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$29,351
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $39,192 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$12,701
−28%vs 2000
vs $17,557 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
18.0%
+1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 16.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$130,600
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $130,500 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$561
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $627 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
41.9%
−1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 43.0% in 2000
58.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic62.5%(65,760)
Black3.5%(3,644)
Hispanic / Latino14%(14,734)
Asian16.5%(17,302)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic81.2%(84,029)
Black2.2%(2,293)
Hispanic / Latino9.8%(10,089)
Asian11.2%(11,549)
Other5.4%(5,568)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican10.2%(12,070)
South American3.4%(3,971)
Dominican3.2%(3,824)
Colombian1.8%(2,161)
Central American1.3%(1,530)
Ecuadorian1.1%(1,332)
Mexican0.9%(1,090)
Salvadoran0.6%(741)
Honduran0.2%(246)
Venezuelan0.2%(229)
Guatemalan0.2%(224)
Panamanian0.2%(190)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.2%(187)
Costa Rican0.1%(106)
Spaniard0.1%(90)
Chilean0.1%(61)
Cuban0%(51)
Asian origin
Cambodian13.2%(15,621)
Asian Indian2.6%(3,027)
Vietnamese2.2%(2,616)
Laotian1.1%(1,285)
Chinese1%(1,198)
Pakistani0.3%(363)
Korean0.3%(341)
Uzbek0.1%(157)
Burmese0.1%(141)
Filipino0.1%(132)
Bangladeshi0.1%(107)
Thai0.1%(72)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Nepalese0.1%(70)
Japanese0%(55)
Taiwanese0%(19)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
Irish12.6%(14,947)
Italian5.5%(6,523)
French4.5%(5,359)
English4.2%(4,994)
Portuguese4.1%(4,861)
Brazilian2.8%(3,318)
French Canadian2.7%(3,245)
German2.7%(3,200)
Polish2.1%(2,486)
American1.9%(2,268)
West Indian1.4%(1,687)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Greek1.3%(1,508)
Haitian1.1%(1,302)
Arab1%(1,232)
Kenyan0.9%(1,104)
Scottish0.7%(774)
Nigerian0.6%(682)
Lithuanian0.4%(510)
Swedish0.4%(481)
Lebanese0.3%(388)
Moroccan0.3%(354)
Canadian0.2%(288)
Russian0.2%(260)
Cape Verdean0.2%(248)
Armenian0.2%(223)
British0.2%(206)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(180)
Jamaican0.1%(157)
Turkish0.1%(148)
Norwegian0.1%(130)
Dutch0.1%(129)
Hungarian0.1%(126)
Welsh0.1%(109)
Iraqi0.1%(100)
Ghanaian0.1%(94)
Ukrainian0.1%(92)
Iranian0.1%(79)
Syrian0.1%(64)
Austrian0.1%(61)
Romanian0%(46)
Egyptian0%(35)
Czech0%(29)
Finnish0%(23)
Slovak0%(23)
Danish0%(19)
Israeli0%(17)
Belgian0%(14)
Swiss0%(14)
Slovene0%(12)
Guyanese0%(11)
Somali0%(8)
Latvian0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.5%
−2.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 18.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
65.8%
−5.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 71.2% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
5.6%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.5 min
+10%vs 2000
vs 16.9 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married49.4%(23,715)
Married39.8%(19,110)
Widowed1.9%(889)
Divorced8.9%(4,290)
Women 15+
Never married43.2%(21,144)
Married37.3%(18,249)
Widowed6.4%(3,135)
Divorced13%(6,365)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.1%
−2.7 ptssince 2013
from 6.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
48.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 49.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 10.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
13.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 12.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
38.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 38.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 0.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
59.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 58.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.1%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 45.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)20.9%(623)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16%(478)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35%(1,045)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.6%(106)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.5%(44)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,984 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Compare Lowell to nearby cities

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LOWELL VS
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LOWELL VS
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LOWELL VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Lowell, Massachusetts?

Lowell, Massachusetts has about 103,439 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Lowell, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Lowell, Massachusetts earns about $29,351 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lowell, Massachusetts expensive?

In Lowell, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $130,600, and the typical rent is about $561 a month.

How educated are people in Lowell, Massachusetts?

About 15.5% of adults age 25 and over in Lowell, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lowell, Massachusetts?

About 18.0% of people in Lowell, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →