Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Lowell is one of the best-graded places in America: an A, 47th of 697 graded towns in Michigan. Its schools outperform 94% of the state's, the median household earns $73K, and 8% of its land is conserved. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in cost of living. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 92% of U.S. towns, with 2 places on the National Register. Only 53 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on walkability. Lowell's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 86% of U.S. towns. Only 63 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on history.
Where Lowell beats most towns.
Census counts: 547 in 1860, 4,142 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 1913 and 3 maps from 1918 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Lowell is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lowell, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Lowell.
Lowell trades workers with Grand Rapids and other neighbors and sees little violent crime.
Its public schools are run by the Lowell Area Schools. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 790 | A− |
| Unity Alternative SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 19 | – |
| Cherry Creek Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades 2–5 | Grades 2–5 | 485 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
2.5 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. Lowell’s trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Michigan’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Creekside Park, at 22 acres.
| Lowell | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 7.8% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Boy Scout Cabin Park | 0.6 mi | 21 |
| 2. Creekside Park | — | 22 |
| 3. Stoney Lakeside Park | 0.1 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The typical Lowell home is worth about $411,000, up 4.9% in a year, 56% above the Michigan typical home. 70% of Lowell households own their home, where Michigan’s towns sit at 84% and U.S. towns at 73%.
| Lowell | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 70% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,056 a month | $1,045 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 32 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lowell.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Lowell has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 17° and about 66 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Lowell has about as many jobs (2,165) as working residents, but only 161 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Lowell for work: only 9% work in town. 4.5% of Lowell residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Grand Rapids (17%), Kentwood (7%) and Cascade Township (7%).
| Lowell | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 8.7% | 5.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Violent crime is rare: 5 reported in 2025, 1.2 per 1,000 residents.
Lowell’s property crime rate is 5.3 per 1,000 residents.
| Lowell | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.3 per 1,000 residents | 8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.2 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Children under 18 are 26% of residents (21% statewide). The median age in Lowell is 35.7 years. 30% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan.
| Lowell | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 30% | 26% | 29% |
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.8 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Lowell | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.4% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.5% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.3% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.8% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.5% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.3% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.9% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.8% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.8% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.6% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.9% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.8% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,100, single groups can be off by several points
Lowell beats the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 30% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Lowell.
| Lowell | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 36% | 35% |
| What stands out | Lowell | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 31.8% | 35.4% |
| More adults with depression | 30.2% | 25.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lowell. Close and well known come first.
in town Park & preserveNorth Country Trail
17 mi MuseumGerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
13 mi MuseumFrederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park17 mi TheatreAcrisure Amphitheater
14 mi Theme parkRamona Park
18 mi Zoo & aquariumJohn Ball ZooNorth Country Trail: Huron-Manistee National Forests, Public domain · Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum: Staff of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Public domain · Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: User Jeffness on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Ramona Park: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · John Ball Zoo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
6 within 15 miles of the center of Lowell
About 4 of every 100 Lowell residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
7.8% of the town is conserved land, across 6 parks and preserves.
2 places in Lowell on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Lowell.
City in Michigan, United States
Lowell is a city in Kent County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,142 at the 2020 census. Lowell is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and is about 15 miles (24.1 km) east of the city of Grand Rapids. The city is mostly surrounded by Lowell Township to the south, but the two are administered autonomously. Lowell is situated just north of where the Flat River meets the Grand River. The city's downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Downtown Lowell Historic District.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Lowell.
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell | #47 | A | B− | B | A | B− |
| Vergennes Township | #163 | A− | C− | — | A | A− |
| Lowell Township | #63 | A | C | — | A | A− |
Vergennes Township and Lowell Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Lowell with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Lowell grades A overall, better than 93% of U.S. towns and #47 of 697 in Michigan. It grades B− for health, B for safety and A for schools.
That is 5 years of the area's median household income ($82,874 across the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
6 notable people were born here, including Ernest R. Graham and Gabriel Dean.
