Compare towns
Roxbury 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
Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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.
| Measure | Roxbury | Windham | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
16,038 |
53,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.2±17.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Roxbury and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±10.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Roxbury and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,100±$219kLowest about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17k 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,787 86% 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 | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Windham School District | Methuen |
| High school in town | — | Windham High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.