Compare towns
Haverhill vs Methuen vs Taunton
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).
Taunton has the most affordable homes ($423k 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 | Taunton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
53,475Lowest |
60,433 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1 about the MA average |
39.9±1.7Highest about the MA average |
38.9±1.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Methuen and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Taunton and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Methuen and Haverhill 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 MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
23.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4k 15% below MA |
$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA |
$79,283±$7kLowest 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9k 19% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
$422,800±$9kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 5% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
$1,324±$86Lowest 25% 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 | $4,772 20% below MA |
$5,061Highest 16% below MA |
$4,344Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Haverhill and Taunton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3% MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.5Lowest 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 | #253 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen | Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational Technical · Taunton |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Methuen High | Taunton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
13.1 |
16.6Highest |
| 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.