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There are 3,176 low-income apartments in Lowell that offer reduced rents to eligible households. Low-income rents in Lowell, Massachusetts can range from $665 to $1,353 depending on the number of bedrooms.
Rental assistance programs support 3,383 low-income homes in Lowell where households pay rent based on how much they earn. For 2023, elgible households participating in federally assisted housing pay an average of $442 towards rent each month.
Affordable rent data for some communities last confirmed on July 3rd, 2023. Subdsidized rents typically change once a year based on federal guidance.
Public Housing Agencies Serving Lowell, Massachusetts
Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.
| Housing Authority | Programs |
|---|---|
| Lowell Housing Authority | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Public Housing; Family Self-Sufficiency; Mainstream Voucher |
| Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development | Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Moving to Work |
Lowell, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Data
Income Based Apartments in Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell features 3,383 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Lowell, Massachusetts
There are 3,176 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Lowell.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Lowell, Massachusetts
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Lowell landlords $1,000 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $400 towards rent in Lowell.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Lowell, Massachusetts for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,760 and $2,151.
2023 Lowell, Massachusetts Fair Market Rents and Housing Choice Voucher Payment Standards
Fair Market Rents can be used to better understand the average housing costs of an area. Fair Market Rents are used by HUD to establish payment and rent standards for federal rental assistance programs like the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.
| Studio | One BR | Two BR | Three BR | Four BR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell, Massachusetts Fair Market Rent | $1,340 | $1,490 | $1,955 | $2,379 | $2,626 |
| Lowell, Massachusetts Payment Standard Range | $1,206 to $1,474 | $1,341 to $1,639 | $1,760 to $2,151 | $2,141 to $2,617 | $2,363 to $2,889 |
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
Lowell, MA Affordable Housing Snapshot
| Total Affordable Apartment Properties | 55 |
|---|---|
| Total Low Income Apartments | 6,559 |
| Total Housing Units with Rental Assistance | 3,383 |
| Percentage of Housing Units Occupied By Renters | 56.84% |
| Average Renter Household Size | 2.51 |
| Average Household Size | 2.72 |
| Median Household Income | $48,002 ±$1,866 |
| Median Rent | $1,005 ±$22 |
| Percentage Of Renters Overburdened | 53.71% ± 3.02pp |
| Total Population | 109,349 |
Population and Household Demographics
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts with a population of 109,349. There are 38,489 households in the city with an average household size of 2.72 persons. 56.84% of households in Lowell are renters.
Income and Rent Overburden in Lowell
The median gross income for households in Lowell is $48,002 a year, or $4,000 a month. The median rent for the city is $1,005 a month.
Households who pay more than thirty percent of their gross income are considered to be Rent Overburdened. In Lowell, a household making less than $3,350 a month would be considered overburdened when renting an apartment at or above the median rent. 53.71% of households who rent are overburdened in Lowell.
Area Median Income In Lowell
Affordable housing program eligibility is always determined by one's income. Each household's income is compared to the incomes of all other households in the area. This is accomplished through a statistic established by the government called the Area Median Income, most often referred to as AMI. The AMI is calculated and published each year by HUD.
HUD often uses an area larger than a city to determine the AMI because HUD anticipates those searching for housing will look beyond individual cities during their housing search. For Lowell, the AMI is calculated from all households within Middlesex County.
In Lowell, HUD calculates the Area Median Income for a family of four as $149,300
Most affordable housing programs determine eligibility based on the percent of AMI a given household's income is. Among the programs that determine eligibility based on the AMI are Section 8, HOME, LIHTC, Section 515, 202 and 811.
Rental Assistance in Lowell
Rental assistance is a type of housing subsidy that pays for a portion of a renter’s monthly housing costs, including rent and tenant paid utilities. This housing assistance can come in the form of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based Section 8 contracts, public housing, USDA Rental Assistance (in Section 515 properties) as well as HUD Section 202 and 811 properties for elderly and disabled households.
Income Qualifications for HUD Rental Assistance in Lowell
| 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 30% of the Lowell AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Extremely Low Income households. |
$31,150 | $35,600 | $40,050 | $44,500 | $48,100 | $51,650 | $55,200 | $58,750 |
| 50% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 50% of the Lowell AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Very Low Income households. |
$51,950 | $59,400 | $66,800 | $74,200 | $80,150 | $86,100 | $92,050 | $97,950 |
| 80% AMI Income Limits Renters earning up to 80% of the Lowell AMI may qualify for rental assistance programs that target Low Income households. |
$82,950 | $94,800 | $106,650 | $118,450 | $127,950 | $137,450 | $146,900 | $156,400 |
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