City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Ann Arbor | Lowell | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,472/mo | $1,466/mo | 0.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $416,500 | $362,800 | 14.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $78,546 | $73,008 | 7.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 106.5 | 96.5 | 10.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 93.5 | 93.4 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 99.5 | 87.4 | 13.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.3 | 92.3 | 10.8% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Ann Arbor, you'd need $94,861 in Lowell to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lowell, MA is about 5.1% cheaper overall than Ann Arbor, MI, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Ann Arbor, you'd need about $75,889 in Lowell to keep the same standard of living.