Affordability in Gaston County town west of Charlotte
Just south of Spencer Mountain, Lowell is a residential community about 20 miles from downtown Charlotte. “It’s a beautiful area right near the South Fork Catawba River, and you can see the mountain from some locations,” says Lucinda Shepard, a Realtor at Yancey Realty who sells in Lowell. Locals have access to several shopping centers and highways leading to Charlotte. “Lowell is up and growing. People are starting to move from Charlotte; it’s a bit more affordable,” Shepard says. The median single-family home price in Lowell is about $300,000; by comparison, the median in Charlotte is about $470,000. “It’s quiet, clean and close to the airport—and in some areas, you get some acreage,” Shepard says. This small town approaching 4,000 residents also comes together for community events like yard sales, the fall festival, and the Christmas parade.
20th-century builds and new construction in Lowell
Lowell has 20th-century homes, including ranch-styles and bungalows. Yards typically have leafy trees that shed leaves in the fall and turn bare in the winter. Further from the gridded center of town, buyers can find new construction in the modern transitional style on sidewalk-lined cul-de-sacs. Prices throughout town range from about $150,000 to $540,000, depending on a home’s age and size, and fixer-uppers can start at about $100,000.
Students are zoned for Gaston County Schools
Gaston County Schools, rated B-plus on Niche, serves the area. Students may attend Lowell Elementary, rated B, followed by Holbrook Middle, rated B-minus, and Ashbrook High, rated B. The school district, in conjunction with Lowell Parks and Recreation, supports free lunches during summer break for kids aged 18 and under. The high school is one of 10 Cooperative Innovation Schools in the county for the 2025-2026 school year. At Cooperative Innovation Schools, specially trained teachers help to expand opportunities to students deemed most at risk of dropping out or who would otherwise benefit from being exposed to enhanced academic programs.
Lowell’s local flavor and national retailers
Lowell is home to locally owned restaurants and a wide selection of retail chains. Since 1989, Hillbilly’s Barbeque & Steaks has supplied the area with its signature ribs, pulled pork and Angus beef. Miami Fusion Café serves Cuban sandwiches and hosts dance nights in a lively setting decked out with flamingos and palm trees. Fryeday Coffee Roasters has an eclectic atmosphere with a mix of barstools and plush armchairs. Approaching Gastonia, a commercial corridor between Interstate 85 and U.S. Route 74 includes shopping centers full of big-box stores like Target, Sam’s Club and Kohl’s. Groceries are available at Aldi and Walmart Supercenter.
Athletic facilities and hiking spots in Lowell
There are also parks and hiking trails to explore in Lowell. Harold Rankin Park has athletic fields and courts in addition to a concession stand and picnic area. George Poston Park’s nearly 350 acres include lighted soccer and softball fields, a pump track for BMX biking, a fishing lake, a playground, a dog park and a 10-mile trail. A path from George Poston Park winds its way up Spencer Mountain; the 1,250-foot summit rewards hikers with panoramic vistas of Charlotte’s skyline and the Blue Ridge Mountains. For a less challenging hike, part of the Carolina Thread Trail is accessible from Catawba Run Road. It stretches through the woods paralleling the South Fork Catawba River.
Access to Gastonia, Charlotte and the airport via Interstate 85
There is no public transit in Lowell, so the community is heavily car dependent. U.S. Route 74 goes through Lowell, leading directly into downtown Gastonia to the west and downtown Charlotte to the east. Interstate 85 stretches east-west across the town and the wider region, taking drivers to the outskirts of Gastonia and Charlotte. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is about 10 miles away. CaroMont Regional Medical Center offers emergency care about 3 miles east via State Route 7. Additionally, Amtrak and freight trains go through Lowell; the nearest Amtrak station is about 5 miles away in Gastonia.
