Compare towns
Lawrence vs Medway 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).
Medway has the most people working from home (20.7%).
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 | Medway | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
13,436Lowest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
40.7±2.3Highest about the MA average |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Medway 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Methuen and Medway 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 MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.2Lowest 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 |
$173,750±$18kHighest 67% above MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$617,300±$21kHighest 10% above MA |
$499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,575±$205Lowest 11% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
| 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 43% below MA |
$8,730Highest 46% above MA |
$5,061 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
35.3%±21.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #40 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Medway | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Medway High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
13.8Highest |
13.1Lowest |
| 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.