Compare towns
Lawrence vs Epping vs Lowell 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).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k 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 | Epping | Lowell | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736 |
7,430Lowest |
118,368Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Epping 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% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Epping 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. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Lawrence 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #255 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Epping School District | Lowell | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Epping High School | Lowell High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
9.3Lowest |
14.8Highest |
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.