Compare towns
Windham vs Methuen vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Methuen has the most expensive homes ($500k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Windham | Methuen | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
53,475Highest |
616 |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
39.9±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Andover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Methuen and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
| Methuen and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,749±$91Highest 24% above U.S. |
$1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Methuen and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,061Lowest 62% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Windham 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 | — | #236 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Methuen | — |
| High school in town | — | Methuen High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.