What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).

Methuen has the shortest commute (28 min average).

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	Townsend	Methuen
People
Population	9,100Lowest	53,475Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average	39.9±1.7Lowest about the MA average
	Townsend and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Methuen and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Methuen and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Methuen and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA	$113,310±$7kLowest 9% above MA
	Townsend and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA	$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average
	Methuen and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest about the MA average	$5,061Lowest 16% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%	48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest MA: 10%	7.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Methuen and Townsend 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	#136 of 282 in MA	#236 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Methuen
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Methuen High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1	13.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.