Compare towns
Haverhill vs Methuen vs Leominster
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 people working from home (12.5%).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
Leominster has the most affordable homes ($380k 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 | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
53,475 |
43,909Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +7.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
43.3±2.2Highest 8% above MA |
| Leominster 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% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Leominster 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% |
33.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4k 15% below MA |
$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA |
$83,816±$7kLowest 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9k 19% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
$380,400±$14kLowest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 5% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
$1,354±$50Lowest 23% 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 |
$5,256Highest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #236 of 282 in MA | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen | Leominster |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Methuen High | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
13.1Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.