Top photo: Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
By Jenna Caldwell, The Boston Report. Updated Oct. 27, 2026.
Lowell, on the Merrimack River about 25 miles northwest of Boston, was one of America’s first planned industrial cities. Its brick mills and canals are now part of Lowell National Historical Park. The 2020 Census counted 115,554 residents, and the city is home to UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College.
Lowell has a council-manager government: an 11-member City Council, which chooses the mayor from among its members, and an appointed city manager. Our Lowell coverage follows the council, public safety and housing, and this page links the city services residents use most.
- Population (2020 Census): 115,554
- Getting there: The MBTA Lowell Line runs between the Charles A. Gallagher Transit Terminal and Boston’s North Station. Local buses are run by the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA).
Latest Lowell news
- Lowell Flock Cameras Back With Limits; Public Demo Proposed Oct 27, 2026
- New Lowell Women’s Shelter to House 50 as Homelessness Rises Oct 27, 2026
Official Lowell resources
- City of Lowell (official website)
- Lowell City Council
- Lowell Public Schools
- Pollard Memorial Library
- Lowell elections
- Lowell National Historical Park (NPS)
Related Boston Report guides
- How to register to vote in Massachusetts
- All Boston-area news
- Boston City Hall decisions tracker
- Best restaurants in Boston
- Boston weather
- MBTA guide
- All Local Towns pages
Lowell FAQ
How do I get from Boston to Lowell by train?
Take the MBTA Lowell Line from North Station to the Gallagher Transit Terminal in Lowell.
Where is early voting in Lowell?
For the Nov. 3, 2026 state election, the city held in-person early voting at the Lowell Senior Center, 276 Broadway St., from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30.
What is Lowell National Historical Park?
A National Park Service site that preserves Lowell’s 19th-century textile mills, canals and boarding houses.
Sources
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