Compare towns
Methuen vs Pawtucket vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawtucket has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).
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 | Pawtucket | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475 |
75,893Highest |
36,652Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Andover and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Methuen 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 40% above U.S. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Methuen and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #35 of 38 in RI | #68 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Methuen High | William E. Tolman High | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
14.6Highest |
12.8Lowest |
| 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.