Rank
213
C+
Methuen
5 schools · 1 high school · 4 elementary schools · Methuen
Methuen is a city in the Merrimack Valley region, approximately 30 miles north of Boston near the New Hampshire border. The Methuen Public School District serves a single city of about 50,000 residents and includes four elementary schools and Methuen High School. With a graduation rate of 87.8%, the district serves a diverse community with a mix of residential neighborhoods and local industrial heritage from its textile manufacturing past. The city remains an important population and commercial center in the region's northern corridor.
Avg MCAS ELA
32.4%
#267 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
29.4%
#259 of 326
Avg SAT
1,098
#182 of 290
Attendance
92.3%
#267 of 328
Graduation Rate
87.8%
#233 of 288
AP Pass Rate
67.7%
#169 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$20,409
#215 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$86,154
#210 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 30% | 29% | — | 486 | 470 |
| Grade 4 | 30% | 24% | — | 486 | 502 |
| Grade 5 | 24% | 21% | 28% | 487 | 511 |
| Grade 6 | 30% | 27% | — | 487 | 532 |
| Grade 7 | 32% | 32% | — | 488 | 525 |
| Grade 8 | 32% | 30% | 26% | 488 | 551 |
| Grade 10 | 33% | 25% | 36% | 488 | 416 |
| HS Science | — | — | 23% | 481 | 436 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 31.4%
Asian: 3.3%
Hispanic: 55.5%
Black: 7.4%
Multi-Race: 2.3%
Female: 48.2%Male: 51.8%
High Schools in Methuen
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
219
C+
Methuen High
SAT
1,098
ELA
34%
Math
26%
Grad
87.8%
219
C+
Methuen High
1,098
34%
26%
67.7%
87.8%
Elementary Schools in Methuen
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
360
B
Marsh Grammar School
ELA
39%
Math
48%
Attend.
94.8%
Class
17
360
B
Marsh Grammar School
39%
48%
94.8%
17
503
C+
Comprehensive Grammar School
ELA
41%
Math
29%
Attend.
94.2%
Class
17
503
C+
Comprehensive Grammar School
41%
29%
94.2%
17
631
C+
Tenney Grammar School
ELA
31%
Math
20%
Attend.
93.5%
Class
18
631
C+
Tenney Grammar School
31%
20%
93.5%
18
671
C
Donald P Timony Grammar
ELA
17%
Math
24%
Attend.
94.1%
Class
20
671
C
Donald P Timony Grammar
17%
24%
94.1%
20
District Operations
Attendance
#267 of 328Attendance Rate92.3%
Avg Days Absent13
Chronically Absent (10%+)23.9%
Chronically Absent (20%+)7.5%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#215 of 325In-District Per Pupil$18,315
Total Per Pupil$20,409
Total FTE Students7,092
Teacher Salaries
#210 of 325Average Salary$86,154
Teacher FTE Count541
Salary vs. Town Income2.3x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 2.3x the town's per capita income ($37,068). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#198 of 327Avg Class Size18
English Learners20.4%
Students w/ Disabilities19.5%
Total Students6,603
Staffing & Retention
#150 of 327Teacher Retention88%
Principal Retention50%
Total Teachers543
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Methuen
Avg Assessed Value
$580,479
#133 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$6,037
Income Per Capita
$37,068
#188 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#220
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.04%
Tax as % of Income16.29%(above avg)
Bond RatingAA-(good)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$50.7M+0.81% levy growth(typical)
Residential$13.2M
Commercial/Industrial$37.5M
Residential Share15.28%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.3% (2.5% base + 0.81% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (15.28%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$20.1M9.5% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $210.8M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 6,244(78.4%)
Vocational: 468(5.9%)
Charter: 127(1.6%)
Private: 737(9.3%)
Home School: 111(1.4%)
Total: 7,966