Compare towns
Methuen vs Pawtucket vs Attleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
Pawtucket has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Attleboro has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Attleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475 |
75,893Highest |
46,762Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Highest about the U.S. average |
37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.8±1.4 about the U.S. average |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Pawtucket and Attleboro 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% |
15.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Attleboro 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% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Pawtucket 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. |
$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$98,954±$6k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$448,100±$13k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,590±$83 13% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$5,366Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±5.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Methuen and Attleboro 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% |
13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Attleboro 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 | #35 of 38 in RI | #185 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Attleboro |
| High school in town | Methuen High | William E. Tolman High | Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.6 |
15.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.