I used to live in Somerville and moved to Lowell because the rent is much cheaper. I would be happier and would rather live in Cambridge, JP or Brookline than Lowell. I appreciate your candor, but people I know and don't know would never choose to live in Lowell if they could live in Cambridge, Brookline and JP. There is more public transit, grocery stores that are walking distance, diverse in various ways, residents are civically engaged, Cambridge and Boston have property tax breaks if the unit is owner occupied, you are closer to the airport, amtrak and sports venues. I can go on and on...