Compare towns
Haverhill vs Epping 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
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% rent).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
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 | Haverhill | Epping | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
7,430Lowest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Epping and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #243 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Epping School District | Methuen |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Epping High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
9.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.

