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 | Aurora | Lowell | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,462/mo | $1,466/mo | 0.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $241,600 | $362,800 | 33.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $85,943 | $73,008 | 17.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 106.3 | 96.5 | 10.2% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 93.3 | 93.4 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 99.2 | 87.4 | 13.5% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.0 | 92.3 | 10.4% 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 Aurora, you'd need $95,269 in Lowell to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lowell, MA is about 4.7% cheaper overall than Aurora, IL, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Aurora, you'd need about $76,215 in Lowell to keep the same standard of living.