Compare towns
Attleboro vs Methuen vs Valley Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Attleboro has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
Valley Falls has the most affordable homes ($375k median).
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 | Attleboro | Methuen | Valley Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 46,762 |
53,475Highest |
12,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.7±3.5Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Valley Falls and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Valley Falls and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,954±$6k 23% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$92,901±$17kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,100±$13k 35% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$375,200±$19kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,590±$83 13% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,362±$142Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,366Highest 72% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$4,397Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±5.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.4%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Attleboro and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #185 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Attleboro | Methuen | — |
| High school in town | Attleboro High | Methuen High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
13.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.