Compare towns
Andover vs Lynn vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Andover | Lynn | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,652Lowest |
101,709Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1Highest 7% above MA |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Methuen and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Andover and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16kHighest 66% above MA |
$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 52% above MA |
$510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 25% above MA |
$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average |
$1,749±$91 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Lynn | Methuen |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Lynn English High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
15.0Highest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.