What stands out worked out from the figures below

Methuen has the most people working from home (12.2%).

Lynn has the most renters (51.9% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Methuen	Lynn
People
Population	53,475Lowest	101,709Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+12.1% MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.7Highest about the MA average	36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA
Kids under 18	21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lynn and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%	13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Methuen and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA	$510,100±$23kHighest 9% below MA
	Lynn and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average	$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average
	Methuen and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA	$5,384Highest 10% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%	13.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	32 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#236 of 282 in MA	#277 of 282 in MA
School district	Methuen	Lynn
High school in town	Methuen High	Lynn English High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	15.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

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.