Compare towns
Belgrade vs Methuen vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k median).
Mount Vernon has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Belgrade | Methuen | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351 |
53,475Highest |
1,716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Highest 22% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.1±6.2 21% above U.S. |
| Belgrade and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Belgrade and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$74,395±$6kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44k 6% below U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$264,200±$23kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$893±$168 37% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 8% below U.S. |
$5,061Highest 62% above U.S. |
$2,832Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±36.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Methuen and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±11.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 18 | Methuen | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.