Compare towns
Andover vs Bow vs Lawrence vs Acton
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%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Lawrence | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,652 |
8,335Lowest |
88,736Highest |
24,155 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.5±0.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Acton and Andover 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%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Bow 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% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Bow 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. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$158,230±$14k 96% 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. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20k 143% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,986±$155 41% above U.S. |
| Andover and Acton 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. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Acton 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% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Acton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #278 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Bow School District | Lawrence | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Bow High School | Lawrence High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
13.6Highest |
13.5 |
| 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.