Compare towns
Haverhill vs Harvard vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Harvard | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
6,927Lowest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Harvard 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Methuen and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4kLowest 15% below MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9kLowest 19% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 5% below MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
| Methuen and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,061 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard 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 MA: 10% |
4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #243 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Harvard | Methuen |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | The Bromfield High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
11.0Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 12 photos → | 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.