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Methuen, MA

A town of about 53,475 people in Essex County, part of the Boston area. Resident comments and photos are about Methuen; job numbers cover the wider area.

The Boston area:College town · College teaching jobs 2.0x the U.S. shareHealthcare and research hub · Healthcare and science jobs 1.6x the U.S. share
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Methuen

Methuen High School, Methuen MA
Methuen High School, Methuen MA · Photo: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Methuen Organ Hall
Methuen Organ Hall · Photo: EraserGirl, Public domain
Nevins Memorial Library
Nevins Memorial Library · Photo: EraserGirl, Public domain
Nicholson Stadium
Nicholson Stadium · Photo: EraserGirl, Public domain
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Where it is
Methuen
Methuen in Massachusetts
Massachusetts in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of Methuen's center.

14
grocery stores
86
restaurants
15
coffee shops
68
parks
65
playgrounds
10
libraries
2
movie theaters
3
live theaters
5
museums
12
bookstores
13
gyms
7
bars
11
pharmacies
5
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of Methuen.

Bike lanes and bike paths
11 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
114 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving to Massachusetts: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Massachusetts DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Massachusetts voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Methuen High School, Methuen MA
Methuen High School, Methuen MA · Photo: John Phelan, CC BY-SA 4.0

32 public school districts in this county, with about 106,583 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Methuen · Methuen
6,584 students · 12.3 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Lynn · Lynn
15,556 students · 12.2 students per teacher · 27 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Lawrence · Lawrence
12,885 students · 11.2 students per teacher · 26 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Haverhill · Haverhill
7,865 students · 12 students per teacher · 17 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Peabody · Peabody
5,968 students · 13 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Massachusetts keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$462/week
about $24,000 a year
$250/week
about $13,000 a year
Toddler (2)$408/week
about $21,200 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$310/week
about $16,100 a year
$200/week
about $10,400 a year
School-age$215/week
about $11,200 a year

For an infant at a center: $462/week here, $440 across MA, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 20% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Massachusetts →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

64 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Methuen. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Salem State University · Salem
Public, 4-year · 6,239 students · $11,978 in-state, $18,961 out-of-state
Merrimack College · North Andover
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 5,688 students · $51,786 a year
North Shore Community College · Danvers
Public, 2-year (community college) · 4,833 students · $5,352 in-state, $10,920 out-of-state
Northern Essex Community College · Haverhill
Public, 2-year (community college) · 4,510 students · $5,688 in-state, $11,472 out-of-state
Endicott College · Beverly
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 4,254 students · $39,212 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$733,574
What a typical home sells for across the Boston area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
31 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,483 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in MA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
5 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
19.5 per 100,000 people a year
161 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. MA average: 18.5 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 32.6 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 10,539 people without housing in the Massachusetts Balance of State area (3 counties): 10,037 in shelters and 502 outside, down from 11,552 in 2024. MA: 39.7 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$99,431
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.07% of home value a year
About $1,070 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 9%
MA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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