Compare towns
Methuen vs Dedham vs Haverhill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% 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 | Dedham | Haverhill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475 |
25,237Lowest |
67,698Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Dedham 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 9% above MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$88,326±$4kLowest 15% below MA |
| Dedham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$453,900±$9kLowest 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 about the MA average |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,668±$49Lowest 5% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 16% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,772Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
60.2%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Haverhill and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #243 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Dedham | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Dedham High | Haverhill High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.