| Measure | LowellMassachusetts, United States Remove Lowell | PatersonNew Jersey, United States Remove Paterson |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| Connector Score | 7.7 | 8.3 |
| Safety | 6.3 | 5.0 |
| Affordability | 4.5 | 5.5 |
| Transportation | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.5 | 4.5 |
| Walkability | 8.0 | 4.3 |
| Things to do | 6.2 | 6.4 |
| Food & dining | 5.7 | 5.9 |
| Places to stay | 6.0 | 6.1 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 7.5 |
| Scenic value | 5.3 | 7.8 |
| Family friendliness | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 6.1 | 4.8 |
| Nightlife | 4.7 | 3.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 5.4 | 5.7 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 7.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $133 | $122 |
| Mid-range | $195 | $177 |
| Luxury | $332 | $294 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 120 | 110 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $2,100 | $1,650 |
| Median home price | $525,000 | $360,100 |
| Population | 116K | 162K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Airport | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Lowell | — | 4 h 28 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | History | Outdoors, History |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Live music, Shopping | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Pro sports |
| When to go | Peak: Late spring through fall | Peak: Fall and event weekends |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.