Compare towns
Lawrence vs Methuen vs Woonsocket
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).
Methuen has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Woonsocket has the most affordable homes ($311k 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 | Methuen | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
53,475 |
43,521Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
39.9±1.7Highest about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Woonsocket 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% |
31%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 25% below U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below 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 | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,061Highest 62% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Lawrence | Methuen | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Methuen High | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
13.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.