Compare towns
Exeter 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
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k 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 | Exeter | Lawrence | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Lowest |
88,736Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | #278 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lawrence | Methuen |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Lawrence High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | 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.