Name: Methuen, MA statistics
Creator: Citytistics

Moving to Methuen

Middlesex County loses about 8.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in66,041

Moved out77,106

Net−11,065

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Suffolk County, MA13,2429,405+3,837

Essex County, MA6,2527,552−1,300

Worcester County, MA4,3567,627−3,271

Norfolk County, MA5,0105,643−633

Hillsborough County, NH1,6663,235−1,569

Rockingham County, NH8271,689−862

Plymouth County, MA8941,337−443

New York County, NY7951,292−497

Within Massachusetts, other states or abroad

Arrivals

48%50%

Leavers

45%52%

Within MassachusettsOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$107K

Leavers$126K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Middlesex County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here: 2.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.6% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves: Households moving into Middlesex County report $106,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $125,900, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need: $70,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy: Median rent is $1,749 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,478 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $499,700.
Getting to work: 28 minutes each way on average; 12.2% work from home; 1.1% take transit.
If it is close but not quite: Marshalltown, IA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two

Moved here in the past year1
2.7%
53% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$125,858
79% above the median place
Income of households moving in7
$106,686
51% above the median place

All 5 moving measures

Measure	Methuen	Vs median
Moved here in the past year1	2.7%	53% below
Moved from another state1County figure	2.6%	34% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure	-8.3	below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure	$106,686	51% above
Income of households moving out7County figure	$125,858	79% above

What it costs to live here

The median rent takes 18.5% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 81% of the 530 places of 50,000 to 100,000 people we track.

Methuen18.5%

Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent

$69,960

a year, at the 30% line

Rent to income

18.5%

9% below the median place

Home price to income

4.4x

16% above the median place

Could you afford it?

Your household income, before tax

The median rent would take

19%

comfortably under the 30% line

Left after rent, in US prices

$92,000

a year

Vs the typical household here

Same

as the median household

Uses the median rent in Methuen, $1,749 a month, and local prices for everything else (100.0 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Methuen, but easier on the budget

Places that match Methuen on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

Place	Match	Rent to income	More left a year
Marshalltown, IA	86	15.5% vs 18.5%	n/a	Compare
Westbury, NY	82	14.7% vs 18.5%	$25,500	Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Methuen.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Methuen? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.

Vacant homes1
2.6%
63% below the median place
Median home value1
$499,700
56% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$2,478
32% above the median place

All 15 cost and housing measures

Measure	Methuen	Vs median
Median gross rent1	$1,749	28% above
Rent to income1	18.5%	9% below
Property tax rate1	1.0%	11% above
Home price to income1	4.4x	16% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure	108.3	7% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure	$3,008	86% above
Property tax paid (median)1	$5,061	55% above
Median home value1	$499,700	56% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure	3.6%	12% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure	45.5%	12% below
Homeownership1	72.3%	9% above
Renters paying 30%+1	48.4%	4% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1	$2,478	32% above
Vacant homes1	2.6%	63% below
Median year built1	1968	1% below

Work and pay

Median household income is $113,310, 41% above the median place.

Median household income1
$113,310
41% above the median place
Unemployment1
5.8%
20% above the median place
Poverty rate1
7.8%
27% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute28 min +11%

Income per person$46,042 +15%

Commutes by transit1.1% +28%

Works from home12.2% −2%

All 10 work and pay measures

Measure	Methuen	Vs median
Median household income1	$113,310	41% above
Income per person1	$46,042	15% above
Unemployment1	5.8%	20% above
Average annual pay5County figure	$118,479	80% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure	4.2%	14% above
Jobs5County figure	903,942	above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate1	7.8%	27% below
Mean commute1	28 min	11% above
Works from home1	12.2%	2% below
Commutes by transit1	1.1%	28% above

Who lives here

No health insurance is 3.3%, 48% below the median place.

No health insurance1
3.3%
48% below the median place
Born abroad1
23.9%
171% above the median place
Household size1
2.8
13% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher88.6% −4%

Median age39.9 +2%

Bachelor's or higher31.0% −3%

Homes with broadband92.2% −0%

All 9 people measures

Measure	Methuen	Vs median
Population1	53,475	811th largest
Population change since 20206	2.9%	156% above
Median age1	39.9	2% above
Bachelor's or higher1	31.0%	3% below
High school or higher1	88.6%	4% below
Household size1	2.8	13% above
Born abroad1	23.9%	171% above
No health insurance1	3.3%	48% below
Homes with broadband1	92.2%	0% below

Life in Methuen

13 National Park Service sites lie within 60 miles, more than in 89% of the 530 places of 50,000 to 100,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1642. 43 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 43 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

First Church Congregational listed 1978
Methuen Memorial Music Hall listed 1978
Barker, Stephen, House listed 1984
Buswell, J.E., House listed 1984
Daddy Frye's Hill Cemetery listed 1984
Dolan, Terence, House listed 1984

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents4.1 −60%

Playgrounds per 10k3.0 −68%

Grocery stores per 10k0.6 −74%

Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k6.7 −40%

Libraries per 10k0.4 −57%

Named paths and bike trails5 km 2.5×

Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.5 2.4×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

Lowell National Historical Park 9 miles
Minute Man National Historical Park 20 miles
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site 21 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars23.5 +13%

Shops28.4 −6%

Arts, recreation and fitness5.3 +29%

Doctors' offices and clinics20.4 +1%

Child care centers3.8 +65%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
8.6
72% below the median place
Students per teacher13
12.8
17% below the median place
Public schools13
6
33% below the median place

All 18 schools and local life measures

Measure	Methuen	Vs median
Public schools13	6	33% below
Public school students13	6,464	32% above
Students per teacher13	12.8	17% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure	23.5	13% above
Shops per 10k8County figure	28.4	6% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure	5.3	29% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure	20.4	1% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure	3.8	65% above
Parks per 10k9	4.1	60% below
Playgrounds per 10k9	3.0	68% below
Grocery stores per 10k9	0.6	74% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k9	6.7	40% below
Libraries per 10k9	0.4	57% below
Named paths and bike trails9	4.9	145% above
Transit stops per sq mi9	0.5	138% above
Nearest National Park Service site10	8.6	72% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10	13	above (median 2)
National Register listings11	43	231% above

Safety, weather and risk

The city police department reported 114 violent offenses per 100,000 residents, fewer than in 81% of the 455 places of 50,000 to 100,000 people we track.

Violent crime per 100k

114

41% below the median place

Property crime per 100k

590

51% below the median place

Months reported

12 of 12

by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Hurricane risk15
95.5
35% above the median place
January average low14
17°F
33% below the median place
Median air quality index16
38
12% below the median place

All 11 weather and risk measures

Measure	Methuen	Vs median
July average high14County figure	84°F	4% below
January average low14County figure	17°F	33% below
Average temperature14County figure	49°F	10% below
Annual precipitation14County figure	47.4 in	8% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure	97.0	5% above
Hurricane risk15County figure	95.5	35% above
Tornado risk15County figure	90.1	11% above
Wildfire risk15County figure	72.8	19% above
Heat wave risk15County figure	95.7	6% above
Median air quality index16County figure	38	12% below
Good air days16County figure	81.9%	20% above

How it is changing

Five-year survey estimates, one point per release.

No history available.

Population estimate

Up 3.0% from 2020 to 2025.

Citytistics measures

Paycheck stretch

$92,300

left a year after rent, in US prices. Better than 75% of places

Pay vs rent

n/a

Family fit

of 100 on cost, space and class size

Rent vs fundamentals Experimental

-5%

against places with the same traits in this market

Growth

n/a

Population figure is the county's

Measures only Citytistics publishes, built from the figures on this page. Scores of 100 beat every place we track. Formulas

Places like Methuen

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

Place	Rent	Income
Fishhook, AK	$1,837	$111,375	Compare
Manchester, WA	$1,740	$126,371	Compare
Waller, WA	$1,787	$101,490	Compare
Washougal, WA	$1,701	$106,368	Compare

Nearby

Compare Methuen with

Places built like Methuen

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Methuen performs against places like it.

Place	Rent to income	Income growth	Pop. change
Methuen, MA	18.5%	n/a	2.9%
Milford, MA	24.3%	3.0%/yr	n/a	Compare
Naugatuck, CT	17.1%	5.1%/yr	2.0%	Compare
Randolph Town, MA	23.0%	5.8%/yr	-0.2%	Compare
Saugus, MA	26.5%	2.7%/yr	n/a	Compare
Haverhill, MA	22.7%	4.9%/yr	0.9%	Compare
Attleboro, MA	19.3%	5.7%/yr	2.1%	Compare

Common questions

Is Methuen a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 56 out of 100, better than 56% of the places we rate and 59th of 121 in Massachusetts. Public schools here have 12.8 students per teacher, fewer than in 88% of the 471 places of 50,000 to 100,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 81 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Methuen expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 18.5% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $499,700.

What salary do you need to live in Methuen?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $69,960 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Methuen safe?

There were 114 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Methuen?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Fishhook, AK, Manchester, WA, Waller, WA and Washougal, WA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Methuen with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Methuen itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/methuen-massachusetts

Citytistics. “Methuen, Massachusetts.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/methuen-massachusetts/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Methuen

What stands out about Methuen