Compare towns
Lexington vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lexington has the most people working from home (36.7%).
Methuen has the most affordable 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 | Lexington | Methuen |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 34,295Lowest |
53,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.7% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±0.8Highest 18% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 25.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $238,444±$18kHighest 129% above MA |
$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,203,100±$35kHighest 114% above MA |
$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,891±$233Highest 64% above MA |
$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lexington and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 36.7%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lexington | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lexington High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.