PlainZIP

Lowell, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01850

Middlesex County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

15,237
4,327/sq mi
$69,780
Median income
$390,800
Median home value
19.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lowell pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

46th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 22%
home value, US ZIPs
4,327
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01850 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01850 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lowell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, home to 15,237 residents across 3.5 square miles, a density of 4,327 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01850 reports a modest median household income of $69,780 (40% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $27,609. Local economic indicators show a 17.8% poverty rate alongside 8.0% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $390,800 (35% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,707 monthly, and 49.3% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.4, and the average commute is 27 minutes. To put 01850 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Middlesex County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 01850

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lowell, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01850.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 01850, Lowell, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

15,237

Population

3.5

Area (sq mi)

4,327

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 01850?

33.4

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

28.6%

Foreign-Born

White 44.2%
African American 13.9%
Asian 10.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 16.1%
Hispanic or Latino 33.6%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$69,780

Median Household Income

-40% vs state

$27,609

Per Capita Income

17.8%

Poverty Rate

8.0%

Unemployment Rate

26.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01850 ranks nationally

Lowell, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$69,780 46th percentile higher than 46% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

6,221

Total Housing Units

6,089

Occupied Units

132

Vacant Units

2.88

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 49.3%
Renter 50.7%

$390,800

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

$1,707

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+8.5%

YoY Change (2024)

306

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+206%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01850 have increased 8.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +206% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.5% 202
2021 +15.9% 234
2022 +12.5% 264
2023 +7.0% 282
2024 +8.5% 306

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 136 business establishments in ZIP 01850, employing approximately 1,500 people with a combined annual payroll of $50,958,000.

136

Businesses

1,500

Employees

$51.0M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 27 19.9%
Construction 25 18.4%
Other services (except public administration) 16 11.8%
Accommodation and food services 15 11.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 14 10.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 9 6.6%
Health care and social assistance 9 6.6%
Transportation and warehousing 6 4.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 2.9%
Wholesale trade 3 2.2%
Finance and insurance 3 2.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 01850 vs 01826 →

ZIP 01850 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01850 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 01850 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 01850 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
01826 Dracut, MA 29,422 1.9 mi
01852 Lowell, MA 33,508 1.7 mi
01854 Lowell, MA 27,606 2.3 mi
01851 Lowell, MA 30,190 2.5 mi
01862 North Billerica, MA 10,227 5.6 mi
03076 Pelham, NH 12,897 5.5 mi
01863 North Chelmsford, MA 8,891 4.7 mi
01824 Chelmsford, MA 24,911 5.2 mi
01876 Tewksbury, MA 28,667 4.9 mi
01879 Tyngsboro, MA 11,305 6.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Middlesex County

02148 standard
Malden, MA
Pop: 59,503
02155 standard
Medford, MA
Pop: 57,964
02149 standard
Everett, MA
Pop: 41,550
01801 standard
Woburn, MA
Pop: 38,903
01752 standard
Marlborough, MA
Pop: 38,499
01702 standard
Framingham, MA
Pop: 37,206

Related Areas

Middlesex County Lowell, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01850 in? ▼
ZIP code 01850 (Lowell) is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Middlesex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/middlesex-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 01850? ▼
ZIP code 01850 in Lowell, MA has a population of 15,237 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01850? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01850 is $69,780, which is 9% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01850? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01850 is $390,800, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01850? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01850 is White at 44.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 33.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01850? ▼
ZIP code 01850 has 136 business establishments employing approximately 1,500 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01850? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01850 are: Retail trade (27), Construction (25), Other services (except public administration) (16). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01850? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01850 increased by 8.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 206%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 01850? ▼
In ZIP code 01850, 60.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 01850? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01850 is 26.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 01850? ▼
In ZIP code 01850, approximately 49.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 50.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01850? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01850 is 17.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.