Compare towns
Lowell vs Methuen vs Windham vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Worcester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Lowell | Methuen | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 118,368 |
53,475 |
16,038Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Windham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,733 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Methuen | Windham School District | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Methuen High | Windham High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
13.1 |
12.8Lowest |
14.6 |
| 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.