Compare towns
Methuen vs Windham vs Attleboro vs Lawrence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% 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 | Windham | Attleboro | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 53,475 |
16,038Lowest |
46,762 |
88,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.8±1.4 about the U.S. average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below 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%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Lawrence 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% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Methuen and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$98,954±$6k 23% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$448,100±$13k 35% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,590±$83Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,366 72% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #185 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Windham School District | Attleboro | Lawrence |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Windham High School | Attleboro High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.8Lowest |
15.3Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.