Compare towns
Andover vs Bow vs Everett vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most expensive homes ($856k median).
Bow has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Methuen has the most affordable homes ($500k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Andover | Bow | Everett | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,652 |
8,335Lowest |
50,045 |
53,475Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S. |
39.9±1.7 about the U.S. average |
| Andover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$113,310±$7k 40% above U.S. |
| Bow and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23k 83% above U.S. |
$499,700±$17kLowest 50% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69 47% above U.S. |
$1,749±$91 24% above U.S. |
| Andover and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$5,061 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±6.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Everett and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #264 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Bow School District | Everett | Methuen |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Bow High School | Everett High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.