What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Andover has the most people working from home (20.3%).

Methuen has the most affordable homes ($500k 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.

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

Measure	North Andover	Methuen
People
Population	31,490Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.6±2Lowest about the MA average	39.9±1.7Highest about the MA 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	21.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Methuen and North Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	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+	61.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,670±$9kHighest 35% above MA	$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$732,900±$37kHighest 30% above MA	$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA	$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,767Highest 30% above MA	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53%±9Highest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Andover and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.4%Highest MA: 10%	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Highest 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	32 minHighest 9% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	20.3%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#98 of 282 in MA	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	North Andover	Methuen
High school in town	North Andover High	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Highest	13.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.