City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Methuen, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Methuen - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

53,043
Residents
$103,270
Median income
$472,200
Median home
$2,941
Median rent (state)

Methuen - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Methuen lands in the 80th percentile for household income and the 65th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

80th
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
97th
percentile, median rent
65th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Methuen, MA

53,043 people live in Methuen, Massachusetts - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $103,270 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.8%. Methuen's housing stock carries a median value of $472,200, and the median resident age is 40.5 years. Educational attainment runs 30.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 78 residential building permits were authorized in Methuen (Slowing), down 15% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Methuen reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 972.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Massachusetts at 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,941 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Massachusetts run around $330, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 25.3 minutes, with 75.9% driving alone and 10.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

53,043 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$103,270 /yr

Poverty 5.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Methuen compare to other US cities?

Where Methuen sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 80% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 97% pricier than other cities
Safety 65% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Massachusetts alone, Methuen ranks #77 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Methuen's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Massachusetts, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

80thIncome percentile
65thSafety percentile

80th percentile nationally for median household income · 65th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Methuen's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Methuen's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 52 Avg. percentile National median
Methuen's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Methuen's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$472,200 17th percentile more affordable than 17% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Methuen $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Methuen, MA Methuen, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Methuen, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Methuen, MA median $103,270/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Methuen, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Methuen, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 30.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
53,043
Median Income
$103,270
Median Home Value
$472,200
Median Age
40.5
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Labor force participation
64.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
30.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
972.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
175.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
796.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
78
housing units authorized
Single-Family
28
detached homes
Multifamily
50
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 92
2020 53
2021 274
2022 39
2023 78

Permit volume decreased 15% from 2019 to 2023.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.3 minutes
Drive Alone
75.9%
Carpool
8.8%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
2.1%

Based on 27,356 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Methuen sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,941/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Peabody
54,180 people
Chicopee
55,213 people
Everett
49,236 people
Barnstable
49,232 people
Weymouth
57,786 people
Medford
59,062 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Methuen's 53,043 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Westchester, FL
53,082 people
Edina, MN
53,125 people
Normal, IL
52,908 people
Twin Falls, ID
53,219 people
Winter Haven, FL
52,846 people
Elyria, OH
52,833 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Methuen's $103,270 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Arroyo Grande, CA
$103,258 median income
Bridge City, TX
$103,256 median income
Atlantic Beach, FL
$103,288 median income
Montverde, FL
$103,250 median income
Jim Falls, WI
$103,250 median income
Sparrowhawk, OK
$103,304 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Methuen, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Methuen, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 59.4% 18.9% 12.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 32.8% White 59.4% Black or African American 5.5% Asian 3.7% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 18.9% Two or more races 12.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Methuen compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Methuen (this city) 53,043 $103,270
Peabody 54,180 $95,278
Chicopee 55,213 $66,927
Everett 49,236 $79,658
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Methuen, MA?

What is the population of Methuen, MA? +

53,043 people live in Methuen, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Methuen, MA? +

Median annual household income in Methuen runs $103,270, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Methuen? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Methuen; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Methuen, MA safe? +

Methuen has a total crime rate of 972.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Methuen, MA? +

A typical home in Methuen is worth $472,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.