Lowell, MA vs Worcester, MA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lowell, MA spends 15% more per resident than Worcester, MA: $48,457 against $42,049. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Worcester, MA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 58/100 (grade C) against 50/100 (grade C) for Lowell, MA — a 8-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Worcester, MA carries the lighter load at $456 per resident versus $470 for Lowell, MA. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: education leads in Lowell, MA at $31,397 per resident and in Worcester, MA at $28,887.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 15% of total revenue in Lowell, MA and 9% in Worcester, MA.
Summary
Lowell spends 15.2% more per capita than Worcester ($6,408/person difference). Worcester, MA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 58/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $639 | $457 |
| Income Tax | $274 | $231 |
| Intergovernmental | $4,160 | $4,140 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,061 | $1,465 |
| Other | $2,654 | $3,233 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $194 | $186 |
| Highways & Roads | $182 | $163 |
| Education | $31,397 | $28,887 |
| Public Welfare | $349 | $889 |
| Health | $139 | $349 |
| Hospitals | $425 | $534 |
| Parks & Recreation | $292 | $461 |
| Housing | $2,733 | $2,901 |
| Sewerage | $126 | $209 |
| Utilities | $1,234 | $1,046 |
| Other | $11,388 | $6,424 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.