Compare towns
Methuen vs Woonsocket vs North Andover
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
North Andover has the most people working from home (20.3%).
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 | Woonsocket | North Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475Highest |
43,521 |
31,490Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Highest about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
39.6±2 about the U.S. average |
| Methuen and North Andover 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% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Methuen 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Methuen and North Andover 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% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$140,670±$9kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$732,900±$37kHighest 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,223±$223Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,061 62% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,767Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Andover and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #236 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #98 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | North Andover |
| High school in town | Methuen High | Woonsocket High School | North Andover High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
15.2Highest |
13.3 |
| 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.