PlainZIP

Lowell, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01851

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

30,190
3,485/sq mi
$92,401
Median income
$467,000
Median home value
30.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 25%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 15%
home value, US ZIPs
3,485
people per sq mi
44%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01851 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01851 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lowell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with 30,190 residents across 8.7 square miles, a density of 3,485 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01851 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,401 (20% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $37,712. Local economic indicators show a 17.9% poverty rate alongside 5.7% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $467,000 (22% below the state average) with median rent at $1,714 per month, and 43.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.4, and the average commute is 29 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Middlesex County, letting you compare 01851 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 01851

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lowell, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01851.

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 01851, 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

30,190

Population

8.7

Area (sq mi)

3,485

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 01851?

36.4

Median Age

49.4%

Male

50.6%

Female

39.3%

Foreign-Born

White 33.5%
African American 9.2%
Asian 41.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.3%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%

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?

$92,401

Median Household Income

-20% vs state

$37,712

Per Capita Income

17.9%

Poverty Rate

5.7%

Unemployment Rate

28.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01851 ranks nationally

Lowell, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$92,401 Top 25% higher than 75% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.2%

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

What does housing look like?

11,853

Total Housing Units

11,421

Occupied Units

432

Vacant Units

2.85

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 43.7%
Renter 56.3%

$467,000

Median Home Value

-22% vs state

$1,714

Median Rent

1941

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

+3.2%

YoY Change (2024)

313

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+213%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01851 have increased 3.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +213% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.6% 211
2021 +14.6% 242
2022 +13.0% 273
2023 +11.0% 303
2024 +3.2% 313

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 477 business establishments in ZIP 01851, employing approximately 13,356 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,707,284,000.

477

Businesses

13,356

Employees

$1.7B

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 78 16.4%
Other services (except public administration) 61 12.8%
Construction 56 11.7%
Accommodation and food services 53 11.1%
Health care and social assistance 44 9.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 40 8.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 28 5.9%
Manufacturing 22 4.6%
Wholesale trade 18 3.8%
Information 18 3.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 3.8%
Finance and insurance 14 2.9%
Educational services 11 2.3%
Transportation and warehousing 8 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 0.8%

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 01851 vs 01854 →

ZIP 01851 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 01851 ranks #2 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 01851 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 01851 ranks #8 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
01854 Lowell, MA 27,606 1.6 mi
01852 Lowell, MA 33,508 2.1 mi
01824 Chelmsford, MA 24,911 2.8 mi
01863 North Chelmsford, MA 8,891 2.8 mi
01850 Lowell, MA 15,237 2.5 mi
01826 Dracut, MA 29,422 4.2 mi
01862 North Billerica, MA 10,227 4.3 mi
01741 Carlisle, MA 4,852 6.8 mi
03076 Pelham, NH 12,897 7.3 mi
01876 Tewksbury, MA 28,667 5.6 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 01851 in? ▼
ZIP code 01851 (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 01851? ▼
ZIP code 01851 in Lowell, MA has a population of 30,190 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01851? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01851 is $92,401, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01851? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01851 is $467,000, which is 68% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01851? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01851 is Asian at 41.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01851? ▼
ZIP code 01851 has 477 business establishments employing approximately 13,356 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01851? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01851 are: Retail trade (78), Other services (except public administration) (61), Construction (56). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01851? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01851 increased by 3.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 213%. 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 01851? ▼
In ZIP code 01851, 60.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.2% 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 01851? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01851 is 28.8 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 01851? ▼
In ZIP code 01851, approximately 43.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01851? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01851 is 17.9% 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.