Compare towns
Methuen vs Bow vs Lawrence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
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 | Methuen | Bow | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475 |
8,335Lowest |
88,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Bow and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Bow and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Bow School District | Lawrence |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Bow High School | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.8Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.