Compare towns
Methuen vs Londonderry vs Amherst
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).
Londonderry has the most affordable homes ($470k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Londonderry | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
12,225 |
11,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.4±1 9% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Londonderry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Methuen 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% |
46% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Londonderry 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. |
$119,571±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$469,500±$23kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
| Amherst 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. |
$1,952±$135Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Londonderry 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. |
$7,568 143% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±13.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Londonderry 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% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #37 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Methuen | — | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Methuen High | — | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.