Compare towns
Barrington vs Methuen vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barrington has the most affordable homes ($399k median).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Barrington | Methuen | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,489Lowest |
53,475Highest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±2.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Barrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,323±$14kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $399,100±$30kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,867±$194 32% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,121 128% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.1%±25.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barrington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Barrington 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 | #65 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barrington School District | Methuen | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.