City comparison
Lowell, MA is about 30 miles (50 km) from Quincy, MA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 38 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Lowell, MA to Quincy, MA takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Lowell has a population of 114,737, vs 100,981 in Quincy — about 1.1× larger by population. By land area, Quincy covers about 17 sq mi vs 14 sq mi for Lowell.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
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 | Lowell | Quincy | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,466/mo | $1,901/mo | 29.7% higher in Quincy |
| Median home value | $362,800 | $563,200 | 55.2% higher in Quincy |
| Median household income | $73,008 | $90,668 | 24.2% higher in Quincy |
| Groceries index | 99.4 | 99.8 | ≈ equal (Quincy slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 141.1 | 144.3 | 2.3% higher in Quincy |
| Transportation index | 102.9 | 102.9 | ≈ equal (Lowell slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 103.7 | 103.7 | ≈ equal (Lowell slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lowell, you'd need $102,382 in Quincy to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lowell, MA is about 2.3% cheaper overall than Quincy, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 4% higher in Quincy than in Lowell. If you earn $80,000 in Lowell, you'd need about $81,906 in Quincy to keep the same standard of living.