Compare towns
Andover vs Brewster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
Brewster has the oldest population (median age 59.6).
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 | Brewster |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 36,652Highest |
10,420Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1Lowest 7% above MA |
59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
55.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16kHighest 66% above MA |
$103,317±$16kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 52% above MA |
$707,700±$51kLowest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 25% above MA |
$1,589±$465Lowest 10% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,397Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.2%±23.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brewster and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
21 minLowest 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #68 of 282 in MA | #160 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Brewster |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.