Compare towns
Andover vs Everett vs Exeter 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 highest household income ($173k).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
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 | Everett | Exeter | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,652 |
50,045Highest |
16,151Lowest |
24,155 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1 10% above U.S. |
35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Andover and Acton 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% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14k 96% above U.S. |
| Andover and Acton 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. |
$610,000±$23k 83% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20k 143% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69 47% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$1,986±$155 41% 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. |
$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Everett High | Exeter High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.