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Buying a home in Lowell, Massachusetts

The typical owner-occupied home in Lowell is worth about $429,200, 24% below the Massachusetts median of $562,100 and 29% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,499 a year in property taxes, about 1.05% of their home's value, close to the Massachusetts rate of 1.07%. The median household earns $78,658 a year, so the median home costs 5.5 times the median income (5.4 times for Massachusetts). 43% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 70% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Lowell at a glance

Lowell Massachusetts U.S.
Median home value $429,200 $562,100 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,499 $5,992 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.05% 1.07% 0.94%
Median household income $78,658 $103,960 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 43% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 70% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,334 $2,726 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.4% 21.9% 21.0%
Median rent $1,625 $1,762 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.1% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1953 1964 1980
Vacant homes 3.7% 8.1% 10.1%
Population 118,368 7,044,056 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Lowell

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lowell home of $429,200 with 20% down costs about $2,864 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,579, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $122,751 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 44% of the median Lowell household income of $78,658; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $275,000.

The median rent here is $1,625 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,239 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$85,840
Loan amount$343,360
Principal and interest$2,310
Property taxes (1.05% a year)$376
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$179
PMI$0
Total per month$2,864

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$15,022
Loan amount$421,426
Principal and interest$2,835
Property taxes (1.05% a year)$376
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$179
FHA mortgage insurance$190
Total per month$3,579

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Questions about home buying in Lowell

What is the median home value in Lowell?

About $429,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Lowell?

Homeowners pay a median $4,499 a year, which is about 1.05% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Lowell?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,864 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $122,751 a year.

More about Lowell

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data