What stands out worked out from the figures below

Litchfield has the most people working from home (21%).

Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).

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	Litchfield	Methuen
People
Population	8,499Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.1±1.7Highest 11% above U.S.	39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Litchfield and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Litchfield and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Methuen and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Methuen and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$162,036±$11kHighest 101% above U.S.	$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,000±$18kLowest 46% above U.S.	$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S.
	Methuen and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,138±$406Highest 51% above U.S.	$1,749±$91Lowest 24% above U.S.
	Litchfield and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,273Highest 165% above U.S.	$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	81.5%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Litchfield and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	21%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#53 of 120 in NH	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Litchfield School District	Methuen
High school in town	Campbell High School	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.