Compare towns
Methuen vs Townsend vs Windham
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 most renters (27.7% rent).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Townsend | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
9,100Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Townsend 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Methuen | North Middlesex | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Methuen High | North Middlesex Regional | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
13.1Highest |
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.