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 | Arlington | Lowell | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,902/mo | $1,466/mo | 29.7% higher in A |
| Median home value | $839,200 | $362,800 | 131.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,312 | $73,008 | 86.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 100.0 | 98.7 | 1.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 133.9 | 123.3 | 8.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.3 | 101.4 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 103.9 | 104.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $92,172 in Lowell to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lowell, MA is about 7.8% cheaper overall than Arlington, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 14% lower in Lowell than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $73,738 in Lowell to keep the same standard of living.