Compare towns
Haverhill vs Methuen vs Boxford
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).
Boxford has the most expensive homes ($907k 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 | Methuen | Boxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
53,475 |
8,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Boxford 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 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boxford 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% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Boxford 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 15% below MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9kLowest 19% below MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 5% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
| 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 |
$5,061 16% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3 MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Boxford 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% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #243 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #34 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen | Boxford · Masconomet |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Methuen High | Masconomet Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
13.1Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.