What stands out worked out from the figures below

Methuen has the most affordable homes ($500k median).

Milton has the most people working from home (29.7%).

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	Milton
People
Population	53,475Highest	28,587Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+6% MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average	41.1±1.8Highest about the MA average
	Milton and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.3%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%	16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Methuen and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%	71.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA	$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA	$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average	$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA
	Methuen and Milton 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	$9,677Highest 61% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.4%±6.5Highest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Methuen and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Highest MA: 10%	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA	1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	31 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#236 of 282 in MA	#55 of 282 in MA
School district	Methuen	Milton
High school in town	Methuen High	Milton High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.4Lowest
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.