What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleborough has the most people working from home (13.6%).

Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middleborough	Methuen
People
Population	24,505Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.4±2.1Highest 9% above MA	39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average
	Middleborough and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Methuen and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32%Highest MA: 47.3%	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA	$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA	$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA
	Methuen and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,706±$72Lowest 3% below MA	$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average
	Methuen and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,023Highest about the MA average	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Middleborough and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%	7.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	13.6%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Middleborough 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	#170 of 282 in MA	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Middleborough	Methuen
High school in town	Middleborough High	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.