Compare towns
Lawrence vs Brewer 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).
Brewer has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Methuen has the most people working from home (12.2%).
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 | Brewer | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
9,652Lowest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
40.1±4.8Highest 3% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Brewer 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% |
20.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% 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 | $3,422 10% above U.S. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,061Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Brewer Public Schools | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Brewer High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
14.0Highest |
13.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.