Compare towns

Concord vs Lawrence vs Methuen

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Concord has the most people working from home (14.1%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).

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.

MeasureConcordLawrenceMethuen
People
Population
44,375Lowest
88,736Highest
53,475
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
40.7±1.3Highest
5% above U.S.
32.6±0.9Lowest
16% below U.S.
39.9±1.7
about the U.S. average
Concord and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.2%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
26.3%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.3%±1.7
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
18.7%±1.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
10.5%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.2%±1.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Concord and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
16.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
31%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6%±0.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±0.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.7%±1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Methuen and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$84,902±$5k
5% above U.S.
$60,433±$3kLowest
25% below U.S.
$113,310±$7kHighest
40% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$350,900±$13kLowest
5% above U.S.
$415,200±$23k
25% above U.S.
$499,700±$17kHighest
50% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,441±$43Lowest
about the U.S. average
$1,662±$50
18% above U.S.
$1,749±$91Highest
24% above U.S.
Methuen and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,227Highest
132% above U.S.
$3,422Lowest
10% above U.S.
$5,061
62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.1%±5.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
60.6%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
48.4%±6.5
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
17.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
56.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
28.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Highest
11 yrs older than U.S.
1950Lowest
30 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
13% below U.S.
23 minLowest
13% below U.S.
28 minHighest
5% above U.S.
Work from home
14.1%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.8%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.2%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Concord 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 #89 of 120 in NH #278 of 282 in MA #236 of 282 in MA
School district Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Lawrence Methuen
High school in town Concord High School Lawrence High School Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school
13.0Lowest
13.6Highest
13.1
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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.