Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Methuen vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the most homeowners (97.4%).
Methuen has the most affordable homes ($500k median).
Burlington has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Pinehurst | Methuen | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
53,475Highest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +7.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2 7% above MA |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Methuen and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22k 11% above MA |
$499,700±$17kLowest 11% below MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$1,749±$91Lowest about the MA average |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316Highest 5% above MA |
$5,061Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Burlington and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #236 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Methuen | Burlington |
| High school in town | — | Methuen High | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.