What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).

Methuen has the most affordable homes ($500k median).

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	Marblehead	Methuen
People
Population	20,413Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	49.1±2Highest 23% above MA	39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Marblehead and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA	$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA	$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Highest about the MA average	$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average
	Marblehead and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Highest 39% above MA	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Marblehead and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest MA: 10%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 282 in MA	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Marblehead	Methuen
High school in town	Marblehead High	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.