Compare towns
Methuen vs Dracut vs Bow
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 most renters (27.7% rent).
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Dracut | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
32,574 |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Bow 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% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Bow 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% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 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±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% 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±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Dracut 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. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Methuen | Dracut | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Dracut Senior High | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
12.9 |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.