Population 5,583 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Lowell
Household size in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.80 | 2.64 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.74 | 2.73 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.76 | 2.74 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.92 | 2.73 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown Lowell are small: just 1.92 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has climbed from 1.80 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 34.0 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.3 | 34.8 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.4 | 35.1 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.2 | 35.4 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −3.4 | +1.4 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Downtown Lowell is young: half of its residents are under 35.2, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 38.6 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 18.7% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 17.8% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 17.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 17.8% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Downtown Lowell (10.1%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown Lowell
Renters in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.2% | 50.2% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 76.8% | 55.6% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 78.8% | 57.7% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 78.9% | 56.8% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown Lowell: 78.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 12.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 10.1% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 8.6% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 7.2% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 5.3% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.4 pts | −4.9 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Downtown Lowell: 6.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across Lowell. Vacancy has fallen 9.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1949 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1942 | 1949 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1938 | 1949 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1946 | 1953 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Downtown Lowell is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1946, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $627 | $913 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $976 | $981 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $813 | $1,158 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,544 | $1,628 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$917 | +$715 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown Lowell costs $1,544 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in Lowell overall ($1,628). Rent has climbed $917 a month since 2006–10, up 146%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown Lowell
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.2% | 22.2% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 21.3% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 23.6% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.1% | 29.2% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Downtown Lowell is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (47.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 16.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.4% | 77.3% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.5% | 78.2% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.9% | 81.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.7% | 82.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +5.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in Downtown Lowell never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Still, the rate is higher than in Lowell overall (82.6%). The share with a diploma has risen 4.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown Lowell
| Period | Downtown Lowell | Lowell | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 8.6% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 11.7% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 6.1% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 5.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown Lowell is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown Lowell compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Lowell | 1.92 | 35.2 | 10.1% | 78.9% | 6.3% | 1946 | $1,544 | 47.1% | 86.7% | 5.1% |
| Back Central | 2.57 | 40.9 | 14.4% | 71.8% | 7.5% | 1949 | $1,443 | 13.3% | 69.4% | 7.5% |
| The Acre | 2.04 | 28.7 | 15.9% | 80.3% | 8.4% | 1952 | $1,215 | 31.6% | 80.7% | 4.7% |
| Centralville | 2.93 | 33.2 | 29.8% | 51.9% | 3.8% | 1942 | $1,741 | 20.4% | 83.1% | 8.4% |
| Belvidere | 2.65 | 38.8 | 14.6% | 41.2% | 3.0% | 1957 | $1,522 | 40.6% | 88.6% | 6.2% |
| Highlands | 2.95 | 36.2 | 16.1% | 58.8% | 5.1% | 1945 | $1,708 | 28.4% | 78.2% | 5.9% |
| South Lowell | 2.82 | 35.0 | 20.2% | 48.1% | 3.9% | 1966 | $1,758 | 25.0% | 85.5% | 4.3% |
| Pawtucketville | 2.93 | 36.3 | 14.6% | 45.0% | 6.0% | 1971 | $1,671 | 32.1% | 87.7% | 2.6% |
| Mt Vernon Park | 2.75 | 44.0 | 12.6% | 28.1% | 4.5% | 1961 | $1,615 | 22.4% | 77.7% | 1.2% |
| Frye Circle | 2.20 | 45.6 | 5.0% | 33.3% | 10.3% | 1951 | $1,948 | 67.9% | 94.6% | 4.4% |
| Southeast Nashua | 2.27 | 35.5 | 12.2% | 60.8% | 6.3% | 1969 | $1,830 | 42.5% | 94.6% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Ardmore, Winston-Salem, NC · Woodcreek Oaks, Roseville, CA · Atlantic City Inlet, Atlantic City, NJ · Burlingame Gate, Burlingame, CA · Bensville, Waldorf, MD · Berger, Dolton, IL · Biedeman, Camden, NJ · North India Mound, Kansas City, MO · Nashua Historic District, Nashua, NH · Nassau Shores, East Massapequa, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown Lowell. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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