INCORPORATED 1836
TOTAL AREA: 14.54 Square Miles
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: City Council/City Manager
City of Lowell
INCORPORATED 1836
TOTAL AREA: 14.54 Square Miles
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: City Council/City Manager
Serving the Communities of:
Billerica
Chelmsford
Dracut
Dunstable
Lowell
Pepperell
Tewksbury
Tyngsborough
Westford
TOWN SERVICES:
CITY CONTACTS (as of December 2007)
City Council:
William Martin, Jr. - Mayor
Jim Milinazzo - Vice Mayor
Edward Caulfield
Rodney Elliott
Armand Mercier
Rita Mercier
Eileen M. Donoghue
Kevin P. Broderick
Joseph Mendonca
Phone: (978) 970-4040
City Manager:
Bernard Lynch
Phone: (978) 970-4000
Email: citymanager@lowellma.gov
City Clerk:
Richard C. Johnson
Phone: (978)
970-4161
Email: rjohnson@ci.lowell.ma.us
Assistant. City Manager,
Division of Planning & Development:
Adam Baacke
Phone:
(978) 446-7200
Email: abaacke@ci.lowell.ma.us
Assistant City Manager of City
Operations:
T.J. McCarthy
Phone: (978) 970-3302
Email: tjmccarthy@ci.lowell.ma.us
Chief Planner:
George Proakis
Phone: (978) 446-7200
Email:
gproakis@lowellma.gov
Planning Board
Administrator:
James Errickson
Phone:
(978) 446-7200
Email: jerrickson@ci.lowell.ma.us
Planning Board:
Thomas Linnehan - Chairperson
Joseph Clermont - Vice Chairperson
Richard Lockhart - 2nd Vice Chairperson
Gerard Frechette
Stephen Gendron
Phone: (978) 446-7200
Conservation Commission:
Christopher Zacherer - Chairman
Kathy Downey
Joy Grillon
Onasch
Louisa Varnum
Anne Chalupka
Kyle Davis
Alysha Lynch
Christine Thomas - Administrator
Phone: (978) 446-7200
Public Works Department:
Edward Walsh - Commissioner
Phone: (978)
970-4246
Email: ewalsh@ci.lowell.ma.us
Public Water System:
The City is served 100% by public water. Drinking water source is the
Merrimack River. The water treatment plant on Pawtucket Boulevard has design
capacity of 30 million gallons per day; average daily usage is approximately 12
million gallons per day (FY 2004). In addition to Lowell, the water utility provides water
to the towns of Dracut, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Chelmsford.
Trash Collection:
The City has curbside trash collection and recycling. In FY99, the City
collected approximately 45,000 tons of trash and 6,000 tons of recyclables.
Sewer:
The City is served 100% by public sewer. Treatment is at Lowell Waste Water
Utility Plant, which has average daily flow of approximately 27 million gallons
per day and capacity to handle 32 million gallons per day.
Library:
Lowell’s Pollard Memorial Library has FY2000 circulation of 193,609. The library is located at 401 Merrimack Street.
Schools:
Lowell School Systems operates 16 elementary schools, 7 middle schools and
one high school. 1999 – 2000 public school enrollment: 16,374 pupils. Lowell
is also member community with the Greater Lowell Vocation Technical High School.
Public Safety:
As of June 2004, 273 permanent officers staff Lowell Police Dept. The Fire Dept. roster
totals 210 men and women.
Chief of Police:
Superintendent of Police Kenneth Lavallee (978) 937-3225
Email: klavallee@lowellma.gov
Chief of Fire Department:
Chief Edward J. Pitta (978)
459-5553
Email: epitta@lowellma.gov
Rail:
Commuter rail service to North Station, Boston is available at Lowell
Gallagher Terminal or at the newly renovated North Billerica Station (travel
time 40 minutes). Freight rail service is available from the Springfield
Terminal Railway, contact number: (978) 663 – 1073.
Bus:
Lowell is a member of the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA). Fixed
bus service is provided, and paratransit services, including medical trips to
Boston, are available for the elderly and disabled through LRTA’s RoadRunner
program.
TAX RATE FY 2004: Residential - $13.97 per $1,000, Commercial- $29.17 per $1,000
|
1960 |
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
#Change 1990-2000 |
%Change 1990-2000 |
|
92,107 |
94,239 |
92,418 |
103,439 |
105,167 |
1,728 |
1.7% |
Persons by Sex
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
Male |
51,807 |
|
Female |
53,360 |
Age Distribution
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Persons |
% |
|
Under 5 |
7,696 |
7.3% |
|
5 – 14 |
16,206 |
15.5% |
|
15 – 44 |
51,165 |
48.6% |
|
45 – 64 |
18,787 |
17.8% |
|
65 & over |
11,313 |
10.8% |
Race and Ethnicity
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Persons |
% |
|
White |
72,145 |
68.6% |
|
Black |
4,423 |
4.2% |
|
Am Indian, Eskimo or Aleut |
256 |
0.2% |
|
Asian or Pacific Islander |
17,371 |
16.5% |
|
Hispanic Origin |
14,734 |
14.0% |
Households
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
|
32,691 |
37,091 |
37,887 |
Household Size
(2000 U.S. Census)
2.67 persons per household
Poverty Status
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
Persons Below Poverty Level: |
Lowell |
Mass. |
|
17,066 |
573,421 |
|
|
16.8% |
9.3% |
Households by Type (2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Households |
% |
|
Married Couple/ Family |
15,202 |
40.1% |
|
Female Householder |
6,602 |
17.4% |
|
Non-Family Household |
13,905 |
36.7% |
Income Distribution (2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
Households |
% |
|
Less than $ 10,000 |
4,858 |
12.8% |
|
$ 10,000 - $ 14,999 |
2,733 |
7.2% |
|
$ 15,000 - $ 24,999 |
2,708 |
11.2% |
|
$ 25,000 - $ 34,999 |
4,900 |
12.9% |
|
$ 35,000 - $ 49,999 |
6,519 |
17.2% |
|
$ 50,000 - $ 74,999 |
7,743 |
20.4% |
|
$ 75,000 - $ 99,999 |
3,587 |
9.4% |
|
$ 100,000 - $ 149,999 |
2,259 |
5.9% |
|
$ 150,000 - $199,999 |
512 |
1.3% |
|
$ 200,000 or more |
309 |
0.8% |
Sources of Income
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
# Of Households |
Average Income |
|
Wage & Salary |
29,837 |
$50,626 |
|
Social Security |
8,801 |
$9,491 |
|
Supplemental Security |
3,129 |
$6,600 |
|
Public Assistance |
2,194 |
$4,688 |
|
Retirement |
4,874 |
$14,020 |
Housing Units
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
|
31,487 |
34,883 |
40,302 |
39,468 |
Median Household Income
(2000 U.S. Census)
|
1970 |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
|
$10,787 |
$14,415 |
$33,401 |
$39,192 |
Median Home Sale Price
(Banker & Tradesman)
|
|
1992 |
1994 |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
|
1 – Family |
$85,000 |
$78,250 |
$85,000 |
$110,000 |
$140,000 |
|
Condo |
$38,175 |
$27,800 |
$36,000 |
$58,000 |
$85,000 |
|
All Sales |
$65,000 |
$47,000 |
$63,000 |
$92,950 |
$125,000 |
|
1990 |
1992 |
1994 |
1996 |
1998 |
2000 |
|
35 |
72 |
53 |
27 |
144 |
92 |
Housing Breakdown by
Occupancy (2000 U.S. Census)
|
|
|
% Of Total |
|
TOTAL HOUSING UNITS |
39,468 |
100% |
|
Total Occupied Units |
37,887 |
96.0% |
|
Owner Occupied |
16,309 |
43.0% |
|
Renter Occupied |
21,578 |
57.0% |
|
Total Vacant |
1,581 |
4.0% |
|
LOWELL LAND USE |
ACREAGE |
% OF TOTAL |
|
Residential |
4,453.37 Acres |
47.9% |
|
Commercial |
500.67 Acres |
5.4% |
|
Industrial |
735.82 Acres |
7.9% |
|
Agriculture |
118.85 Acres |
1.3% |
|
Open Space/ Recreation |
2,492.96 Acres |
26.8% |
|
Transportation/Mining/Waste |
505.97 Acres |
5.4% |
|
Water |
494.22 Acres |
5.3% |
|
TOTAL
ACREAGE |
9,301.85 Acres |
100% |
Lowell Parks and Recreation
Department
JFK Civic Center
50 Arcand Drive
Lowell, MA 01852
Lowell Dracut Tyngsborough
State Forest (1,040 Acres)
Non-motorized boating, cross country skiing, fresh water fishing,
hiking, hunting, ice skating, nature observation, organized events, sight
seeing, walking/jogging. ATV and Snowmobiling are not permitted in the
State Forest.
Lowell Heritage State Park
(118 Acres)
Bicycling, non-motorized boating, cross country skiing, fresh water fishing,
fresh water swimming, hiking, horseback riding, ice skating, nature observation,
organized events, picnicking, walking/jogging.
University of Massachusetts
at Lowell (103 Acres)
Assorted facilities
Longmeadow Golf Club
(62 Acres)
Golf
Leblanc Park (60 Acres)
Camping, general play, hiking, organized events, picnicking, and pool swimming.
Shedd Park
(52 Acres)
Baseball/softball, basketball, bicycling, cross country skiing, football/soccer,
general play, hiking, organized events, other team related activities, pool
swimming, tennis, walking/jogging.
Fort Hill Park (34 Acres)
Bicycling, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, hiking, picnicking, and
walking/jogging
Boulevard Park (24
Acres)
Bicycling, non-motorized boating, camping, fresh water fishing, general play,
hiking, ice-skating, organized events, picnicking, walking/jogging.
|
LABOR FORCE – 2000 |
51,078 |
|
# Residents Employed |
49,403 |
|
# Residents Unemployed |
1,675 |
|
Lowell Unemployment Rate |
3.3% |
|
NMCOG Region Unemployment Rate |
2.5% |
|
State Unemployment Rate |
2.6% |
|
Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing |
61 |
|
Government |
5,825 |
|
Construction |
845 |
|
Manufacturing |
5,799 |
|
TCPU |
1,257 |
|
Trade |
5,703 |
|
FIRE |
1,770 |
|
Services |
13,312 |
|
Total Employment/Lowell |
34,572 |
TCPU = Transportation, Communication and Public Utilities
FIRE = Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
conf = Data suppressed due to confidentiality
Means Of Transportation To Work - 2000 (Census Transportation Planning Package 2000)
|
Subject |
1990 Census | 2000 Census | Change 1990 to 2000 | |||
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| Workers 16 years & over | 44,917 | 100.0 | 46,764 | 100.0 | 1,847 | 4.1 |
| Drove alone | 32,767 | 73.0 | 34,494 | 73.8 | 1,727 | 5.3 |
| Carpooled | 7,298 | 16.2 | 7,324 | 15.7 | 35 | 0.5 |
| Public transportation (including taxicab) | 1,495 | 3.3 | 1,603 | 3.4 | 108 | 7.2 |
| Bicycle or walked | 2,406 | 5.4 | 2,282 | 4.9 | -124 | -5.2 |
| Motorcycle or other means | 487 | 1.1 | 470 | 1.0 | -17 | -3.5 |
| Worked at home | 473 | 1.1 | 591 | 1.3 | 118 | 24.9 |
|
Subject |
1990 Census | 2000 Census | Change 1990 to 2000 | |||
| Number | Percent | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | |
| Workers who did not work at home | 44,444 | 100.0 | 46,173 | 100.0 | 1,729 | 3.9 |
| Less than 5 minutes | 1,481 | 3.3 | 1,257 | 2.7 | -224 | -15.1 |
| 5 to 9 minutes | 5,415 | 12.2 | 4,489 | 9.7 | -926 | -17.1 |
| 10 to 14 minutes | 8,446 | 19.0 | 7,783 | 16.9 | -663 | -7.8 |
| 15 to 19 minutes | 8,498 | 19.1 | 7,776 | 16.8 | -722 | -8.5 |
| 20 to 29 minutes | 8,620 | 19.4 | 9,457 | 20.5 | 837 | 9.7 |
| 30 to 44 minutes | 8,045 | 18.1 | 9,003 | 19.5 | 958 | 11.9 |
| 45 or more minutes | 3,939 | 8.9 | 6,408 | 13.9 | 2,469 | 62.7 |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes) | 20.4 | X | 24.3 | X | 3.9 | X |
MEDIA:
Lowell Sun
15 Kearney Square, Lowell, (978) 458 – 7100
Comcast Communications
12 Washer St, Lowell
REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY:
Northern Middlesex Council of
Governments
115 Thorndike Street, Lowell MA 01852
Beverly Woods, Executive Director
Phone: (978) 454 – 8021
Fax: (978) 454 – 8023
