Compare towns
North Andover vs Windham vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Andover has the most renters (30.2% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
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 | Windham | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,490 |
16,038Lowest |
53,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.1±2.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Highest 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+ | 61.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,670±$9k 74% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $732,900±$37kHighest 120% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kLowest 50% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$223 57% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,767 149% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Andover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Andover | Windham School District | Methuen |
| High school in town | North Andover High | Windham High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.8Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.