Compare towns
Haverhill vs Jaffrey 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).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Jaffrey | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
5,448Lowest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.9±3.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Jaffrey and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Jaffrey and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jaffrey 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$92,330±$18k 14% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Jaffrey 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. |
$245,500±$27kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
| 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 53% above U.S. |
$6,196Highest 99% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±23Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Haverhill and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #243 of 282 in MA | #87 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | Methuen |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Conant Middle High School (H) | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
21.3Highest |
13.1 |
| 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.