Compare towns
Methuen vs Needham vs Haverhill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Haverhill has the most renters (37.2% 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.
| Measure | Methuen | Needham | Haverhill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475 |
32,459Lowest |
67,698Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average |
| Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Needham 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 MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 9% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$88,326±$4kLowest 15% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 11% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$453,900±$9kLowest 19% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,668±$49Lowest 5% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 16% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,772Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
60.2%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Haverhill and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #243 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | — | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Methuen High | — | Haverhill High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.