Population 53,974 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Methuen Town
Household size in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.87 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Methuen Town holds 2.87 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.71 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Methuen Town are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.6, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the west.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Methuen Town (12.2%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the wider Boston area (9.7%). Methuen Town has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Methuen Town
Renters in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.8% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.1% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.4% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.2% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Methuen Town own their homes; 28.2% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 29.8% have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the north. The renter share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.4% of homes in Methuen Town are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.4 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Methuen Town is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1963 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,042 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,027 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,219 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,014 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$972 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Methuen Town pays $2,014 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $972 a month from 2006–10, a 93% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Methuen Town
Bachelor's degrees in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.1% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.7% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.6% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Methuen Town than nationally: 31.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.0% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.7% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.7% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.5% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Methuen Town have finished high school as nationally: 88.5%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Boston area (91.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.5 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Methuen Town
| Period | Methuen Town | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in Methuen Town is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the Boston area as a whole (4.9%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Methuen Town compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methuen Town | 2.87 | 40.6 | 12.2% | 28.2% | 4.4% | 1967 | $2,014 | 31.6% | 88.5% | 5.7% |
| Lawrence | 2.93 | 33.6 | 26.2% | 71.7% | 3.0% | 1951 | $1,671 | 15.8% | 72.6% | 9.2% |
| Methuen | 2.56 | 35.3 | 7.6% | 46.7% | 4.3% | 2000 | $2,535 | 84.1% | 100.0% | 2.0% |
| Salem | 2.50 | 44.2 | 8.0% | 24.5% | 11.3% | 1979 | $1,792 | 39.5% | 95.8% | 2.9% |
| North Andover | 2.67 | 41.6 | 9.0% | 32.3% | 5.9% | 1976 | $2,450 | 61.4% | 96.6% | 3.4% |
| Andover | 2.67 | 42.2 | 8.1% | 20.5% | 5.7% | 1972 | $2,235 | 75.8% | 97.7% | 5.5% |
| Haverhill | 2.59 | 40.7 | 13.9% | 37.2% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,643 | 32.1% | 90.2% | 5.9% |
| Pelham | 2.91 | 40.4 | 9.1% | 13.2% | 3.1% | 1986 | $1,544 | 40.6% | 96.6% | 3.5% |
| Dracut | 2.71 | 43.0 | 9.6% | 20.1% | 5.3% | 1974 | $1,827 | 36.6% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
| Groveland | 2.58 | 45.1 | 4.1% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 1975 | $1,773 | 45.7% | 96.1% | 6.0% |
| Atkinson | 2.49 | 52.9 | 5.3% | 9.3% | 4.6% | 1981 | $1,195 | 42.8% | 95.9% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Union, NJ · Greensburg, PA · Hoffman Estates, IL · Winter Garden, FL · West Sacramento, CA · West Chester, OH · Logan, UT · Webster, NY · Vero Beach, FL · Greenwood, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Methuen Town. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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