Compare towns
Lunenburg vs Methuen vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lunenburg has the most people working from home (15.8%).
Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Lunenburg | Methuen | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902 |
53,475Highest |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±2.1Highest 8% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Methuen and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lunenburg and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,828±$11kLowest 9% above MA |
$113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
| Townsend and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Methuen and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
$1,749±$91 about the MA average |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
| Lunenburg and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,401Highest 7% above MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 24% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.8%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lunenburg 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lunenburg | Methuen | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Lunenburg High | Methuen High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.