What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).

Methuen has the most people working from home (12.2%).

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	Lynn	Methuen
People
Population	101,709Highest	53,475Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA	39.9±1.7Highest about the MA average
Kids under 18	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Lynn and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	31%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Methuen and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA	$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$510,100±$23kHighest 9% below MA	$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA
	Lynn and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average	$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average
	Methuen and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,384Highest 10% below MA	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest MA: 10%	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 8% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#277 of 282 in MA	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Lynn	Methuen
High school in town	Lynn English High	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.0Highest	13.1Lowest
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.