Compare towns
Douglas vs Methuen vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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 | Douglas | Methuen | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
53,475Highest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
— | +6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Douglas and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Methuen and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
| Methuen and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
| Methuen and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$5,061 16% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Methuen and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #177 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Methuen | Webster |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Methuen High | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.