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 | Los Angeles | Lowell | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,791/mo | $1,466/mo | 22.2% higher in A |
| Median home value | $822,600 | $362,800 | 126.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $76,244 | $73,008 | 4.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 96.5 | 7.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 82.4 | 93.4 | 11.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 87.4 | 14.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 92.3 | 12.6% 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 Los Angeles, you'd need $87,057 in Lowell to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lowell, MA is about 12.9% cheaper overall than Los Angeles, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 18% lower in Lowell than in Los Angeles. If you earn $80,000 in Los Angeles, you'd need about $69,645 in Lowell to keep the same standard of living.