Compare towns
Methuen vs Valley Falls 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).
Valley Falls has the most affordable homes ($375k 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 | Valley Falls | Attleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
12,657Lowest |
46,762 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.7±3.5Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.8±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Valley Falls 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Valley Falls 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% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and Valley Falls 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% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$92,901±$17kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$98,954±$6k 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$375,200±$19kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$448,100±$13k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,362±$142Lowest 4% 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. |
$4,397Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,366Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.4%±17.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.4Lowest 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 | — | #185 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | — | Attleboro |
| High school in town | Methuen High | — | Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | 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.