Compare towns
Methuen vs Jericho vs Westfield
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 kids (21.3% under 18).
Jericho has the most people working from home (21.8%).
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k 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 | Jericho | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
5,114Lowest |
40,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Jericho 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% |
20.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Jericho and Westfield 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% |
65.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$116,923±$16kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Jericho 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±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$493,100±$38k 48% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Methuen and Jericho 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. |
$1,731±$111 23% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Jericho 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. |
$7,318Highest 135% above U.S. |
$4,746Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho and Methuen 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% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #6 of 70 in VT | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Westfield |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
13.0 |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.