Compare towns
Methuen vs Worcester vs Attleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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 | Worcester | Attleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 53,475 |
207,055Highest |
46,762Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.7Highest about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
39.8±1.4 about the MA average |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Attleboro 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 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$98,954±$6k 5% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$448,100±$13k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,590±$83 10% below MA |
| 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 16% below MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$5,366Highest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
48%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester 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 MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
66.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #185 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Methuen | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Attleboro |
| High school in town | Methuen High | South High Community | Attleboro High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.6 |
15.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.