What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).

Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cornwall	Methuen
People
Population	1,208Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	50.4±4.6Highest 30% above U.S.	39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	18.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Methuen and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Methuen and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S.	$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S.
	Cornwall and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$458,000±$49kLowest 38% above U.S.	$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S.
	Methuen and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S.	$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,726Highest 116% above U.S.	$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Cornwall and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 11% below U.S.	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	Methuen
High school in town	None in town	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.