Compare towns
Lawrence vs Hull vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Hull has the most people working from home (19.7%).
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 | Hull | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
10,138Lowest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Lawrence 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 42% below MA |
$115,485±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
| Hull and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$646,000±$38kHighest 15% above MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50Lowest 6% below MA |
$2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$1,749±$91 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$6,089Highest about the MA average |
$5,061 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #66 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Hull | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Hull High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
8.8Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.