ZIP Code · MA

ZIP 01852

Part of Lowell, MA

Pop. 37,144·Middlesex County·140th most expensive ZIP in Massachusetts

Median rent (all units)

$2,179/mo

Year-over-Year

-1.0%

Month-over-Month

-1.0%

vs US Median

+$247

Reported rents

Falling (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 01852 · $2,179

More expensive than 70% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,490

1 BR

$1,650

2 BR

$2,160

3 BR

$2,590

4 BR+

$2,860

Research median

$2,160/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

December. Asking rents in ZIP 01852 usually run 1.8% below trend in December and 1.6% above it in August, about $74 a month apart at today's median. Based on 6 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 01852 is 1.3% below its high of $2,207 in June 2026, at $2,179 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Massachusetts

Rent in ZIP 01852 changed -1.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.0%.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 01852 is 39.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 4 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($80,906) is $2,023 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,650); a 2-bedroom is $2,160.

Rank in Lowell

1st cheapest of 4 ZIP codes in Lowell.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 01852. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$26,148/yr

At $2,179/mo median

Location

CityLowell

StateMA

CountyMiddlesex County

Rent Market Meter

Renter's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are softening (down 1.0% YoY), so renters have negotiating leverage.

Based on rent-price momentum (-1.0% YoY, -1.0% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 01852 (Lowell, MA) is majority renter-occupied, 33.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

37,144

Median income

$80,906

Median age

38.2

Renters

55.7%

Age distribution

21.8%

23.6%

25.4%

14.8%

14.4%

Under 1821.8%

18–3423.6%

35–5425.4%

55–6414.8%

65+14.4%

Gender

49.6%

50.4%

Male49.6%

Female50.4%

Race & ethnicity

55.5%

19.4%

13.6%

White55.5%

Black8%

Hispanic19.4%

Asian13.6%

Other3.6%

Education (25+)

15.4%

28.4%

23.1%

33.1%

No HS diploma15.4%

HS diploma28.4%

Some college23.1%

Bachelor's+33.1%

Housing tenure

44.3%

55.7%

Owner44.3%

Renter55.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 01852 in Lowell, MA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,614 → $2,179

up 35.0%

Income

$68,256 → $80,906

up 18.5%

Population

36,740 → 37,144

up 1.1%

Renter share

52.9% → 55.7%

+2.8 pts

Bachelor's+

30% → 33.1%

+3.1 pts

Median age

36.8 → 38.2

+1.4 yrs

Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 01852 in Lowell, MA has shifted from $1,614 to $2,179, up 35.0% since 2021. Household income in the area moved from $68,256 to $80,906 across the same window, up 18.5% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 01852 in Lowell, MA adding about 404 residents over the five-year window, up 1.1% on net. The renter share has risen from 52.9% to 55.7%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 30% to 33.1% across the same window. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in ZIP 01852 in Lowell, MA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

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About renting in ZIP 01852

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 01852 covers Lowell, MA. The median rent here is $2,179/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,650/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,160/mo.

At 32% of local median household income ($80,906/yr), ZIP 01852 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 1.0% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 01852?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $87,000/year (about $42/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,179/mo in ZIP 01852. The local median household income is $80,906/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 01852?

Rent in ZIP 01852 has fallen 1.0% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 1.3% below its high of $2,207 in June 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 01852?

Asking rents in ZIP 01852 are usually lowest in December, about 1.8% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 1.6% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $74 a month. This pattern comes from 6 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 01852 compare to other ZIPs in Massachusetts?

ZIP 01852 is one of the more affordable among Massachusetts ZIP codes for rent, ranking #140 of 164 at $2,179/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 01852 changed -1.0%, against a typical +3.0% across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks.