Compare towns
Methuen vs Windham vs Lawrence vs Westfield
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 most people working from home (21.9%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
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 | Lawrence | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 53,475 |
16,038Lowest |
88,736Highest |
40,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
39.9±1.8 about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2Lowest 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%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Highest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$87,753±$6k 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,746 52% 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% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest 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% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #278 of 282 in MA | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Windham School District | Lawrence | Westfield |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Windham High School | Lawrence High School | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.8 |
13.6Highest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.