Compare towns
Methuen vs Brookline vs Attleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
Attleboro has the most affordable homes ($448k 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.
| Measure | Methuen | Brookline | Attleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
5,736Lowest |
46,762 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.8±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookline 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% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Brookline 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. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$98,954±$6kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$448,100±$13kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,590±$83Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,366 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±5.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH | #185 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Brookline School District | Attleboro |
| High school in town | Methuen High | None in town | Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 15.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.