Compare towns
North Andover vs Stoneham vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Andover has the highest household income ($141k).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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.
| Measure | North Andover | Stoneham | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,490 |
23,355Lowest |
53,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2Lowest about the MA average |
42.2±2.2Highest 6% above MA |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Stoneham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Lowest 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% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Methuen 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% |
55.9% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,670±$9kHighest 35% above MA |
$113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $732,900±$37kHighest 30% above MA |
$671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA |
| North Andover and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA |
$2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average |
| North Andover and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,767Highest 30% above MA |
$6,523 9% above MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 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% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.3%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and North Andover 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 | #98 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Andover | Stoneham | Methuen |
| High school in town | North Andover High | Stoneham High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.