Compare towns
Methuen vs Smithfield vs Haverhill
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).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Smithfield | Haverhill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475 |
22,233Lowest |
67,698Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Smithfield and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9k 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Haverhill 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. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Haverhill and Smithfield 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% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield and Haverhill 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #243 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Smithfield | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Smithfield High School | Haverhill High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.8Lowest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.