What stands out worked out from the figures below

Andover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).

Glocester has the most affordable homes ($397k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Andover	Glocester
People
Population	36,652Highest	10,221Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1Lowest 10% above U.S.	50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	19.8%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Andover and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	35.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$113,508±$7kLowest 41% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S.	$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S.	$1,417±$627Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Glocester 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 U.S.: 12.5%	4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 10% above U.S.	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.
Work from home	30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#68 of 282 in MA	#12 of 38 in RI
School district	Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	Foster-Glocester · Glocester
High school in town	Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	Ponaganset High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	12.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.