Compare towns
Lawrence vs Sutton vs Warner 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).
Sutton has the most homeowners (95.7%).
Warner has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k 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 | Sutton | Warner | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
2,239Lowest |
2,959 |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.7±4 12% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Sutton and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton and Warner 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% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$94,022±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$353,100±$22kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,219±$123Lowest 14% 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$7,650 145% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Warner 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Warner and Sutton 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 | — | — | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Kearsarge Regional School District | Kearsarge Regional School District | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— | 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.