Compare towns
Methuen vs Westfield 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
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k 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 | Westfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
40,378 |
16,038Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westfield and Methuen 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% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$4,746Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Methuen 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% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest 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 | #197 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Methuen | Westfield | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Westfield High | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.8 |
| 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.