Compare towns
Andover vs Milton vs Pelham
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 renters (20.1% rent).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
Pelham has the most affordable homes ($553k 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 | Milton | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,652Highest |
28,587 |
14,449Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.1±1.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
| Andover and Pelham 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%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Milton and Andover 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% |
16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pelham and Milton 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% |
71.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Milton and Andover 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. |
$188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kLowest 68% above U.S. |
| Milton 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±$22k 157% above U.S. |
$933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kLowest 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,474±$281 4% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,677 210% above U.S. |
$8,634Lowest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Milton 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% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.7%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Milton 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Milton | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Milton High | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.4 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.

