What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).

Methuen has the most homeowners (72.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lawrence	Methuen
People
Population	88,736Highest	53,475Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.7% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA	39.9±1.7Highest about the MA average
Kids under 18	26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	31%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.8Lowest 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	$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA	$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,662±$50Lowest 6% 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	$5,061Highest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	17.6%Highest MA: 10%	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 21% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#278 of 282 in MA	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Lawrence	Methuen
High school in town	Lawrence High School	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	13.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.