What stands out worked out from the figures below

Methuen has the most homeowners (72.3%).

Manchester has the most renters (51.3% 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	Manchester
People
Population	53,475Lowest	115,643Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.5% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.7Highest about the U.S. average	38±1Lowest about the U.S. average
	Methuen and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22%	18%±1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Methuen and Manchester 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%	34%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Methuen and Manchester 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 40% above U.S.	$81,007±$2kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S.	$365,600±$7kLowest 10% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S.	$1,564±$37Lowest 11% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S.	$5,922Highest 90% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Manchester and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.1%±1.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Manchester and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#236 of 282 in MA	#115 of 120 in NH
School district	Methuen	Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District
High school in town	Methuen High	Manchester Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.