Compare towns
Haverhill vs Methuen vs Merrimac
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).
Merrimac has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
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 | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
53,475 |
6,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4kLowest 15% below MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
$123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Merrimac and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9kLowest 19% below MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$553,400±$38kHighest about the MA average |
| Merrimac and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 5% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
$1,352±$325Lowest 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 |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Haverhill and Merrimac 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest 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 | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Methuen High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.