Compare towns
Mapleton vs Windham vs Methuen vs Chapman
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%).
Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Chapman has the shortest commute (23 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 | Mapleton | Windham | Methuen | Chapman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
16,038 |
53,475Highest |
388Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.7±11.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Chapman and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chapman and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$93,125±$17k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$185,700±$22kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
$1,850 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Windham School District | Methuen | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Methuen High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.