Compare towns
Methuen vs Kittery 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 highest household income ($113k).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Kittery | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
10,473Lowest |
40,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Westfield 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14k 16% above U.S. |
$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Kittery 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. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Methuen and Kittery 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. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Methuen and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,746 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Methuen and Westfield 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% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Kittery Public Schools | Westfield |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Robert W Traip Academy | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.