Compare towns
Lawrence vs Bow vs Fall River 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
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k 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 | Lawrence | Bow | Fall River | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736 |
8,335Lowest |
94,082Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
| Bow and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,953 27% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #262 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Bow School District | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Bow High School | B M C Durfee High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
12.8 |
11.3Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.