Lowell vs Troy
The short version
- Troy is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 7% lower than in the Lowell area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $420,300 in Troy and $429,200 in Lowell.
- Households earn more in Troy ($120,045 vs $78,658 median).
- Lowell gets far more snow: 59 inches a year vs 36.
- Lowell is growing faster: +3.8% since 2020 vs +1.6%.
- Commutes are shorter in Troy (24 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Lowell, MA | Troy, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 119,971 | 88,733 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.8% | +1.6% |
| People per square mile | 8,815 | 2,653 |
| Median age | 35.6 | 42.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30% | 65% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $78,658 | $120,045 |
| Median home value | $429,200 | $420,300 |
| Home value to income | 5.5× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,625 | $1,602 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 108.3 | 100.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 148.4 | 94.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $81,200 | $75,200 |
| Homeowners | 43% | 73% |
| Top state income tax | 9% | 4.25% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.25% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.9 | 23.7 |
| Work from home | 11% | 23% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.7% | 4.4% |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 35° / 19° | 31° / 17° |
| July high / low | 83° / 63° | 82° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 34 in |
| Snowfall per year | 59 in | 36 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 15 | 10 |
| Nights below freezing | 123 | 135 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.9 | 97.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 71% | 36% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.8% | +4.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +39.7% | +39.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Lowell: May to September. Troy: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Lowell weather by month and Troy weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $81,200 in Lowell and $75,200 in Troy. Moving from Lowell to Troy, you would need about $69,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Lowell and Troy
101people moved from Middlesex County, MA to Oakland County, MI in a year
111moved the other way
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Lowell and Troy.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.