Compare towns
Lawrence vs Plainfield vs Thompson 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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Plainfield | Thompson | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
15,141 |
9,337Lowest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Plainfield 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. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,749±$91Highest 24% above 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
$5,061Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Thompson 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thompson and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Plainfield School District | Thompson School District | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Plainfield High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
10.3 |
7.9Lowest |
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.