What it's like to live in Methuen
Methuen is a smaller city in Massachusetts with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Methuen deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, cold winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 58" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Methuen compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Methuen
Based on Methuen's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,498
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $69,960 a year
- 45% of Methuen renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$99,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $49,970
- Homes cost 4.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 24% above US
$1,749/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,749 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $499,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $499,700 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Essex County is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Essex County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 66% below US
114 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 592/100k · Methuen Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 27.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 14% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Lowell National Historical Park (10 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Methuen's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,749/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Methuen
All Massachusetts guides →Not sure Methuen is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.