What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).

Methuen has the most renters (27.7% rent).

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	Pelham	Methuen
People
Population	14,449Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S.	39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Pelham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Pelham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.2%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Methuen and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Methuen and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.	$113,310±$7kLowest 40% above U.S.
	Pelham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S.	$499,700±$17kLowest 50% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.	$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.4%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pelham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.	28 minLowest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#48 of 120 in NH	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	Pelham School District	Methuen
High school in town	Pelham High School	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	13.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.