Compare towns
Boxford vs Exeter vs Haverhill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxford has the most expensive homes ($907k median).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Haverhill has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
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 | Boxford | Exeter | Haverhill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,208Lowest |
16,151 |
67,698Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±3.6Highest 26% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Boxford and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±1.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Boxford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,871±$21kHighest 149% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$88,326±$4kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $907,000±$46kHighest 173% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$453,900±$9kLowest 36% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $776±$13Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,668±$49 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Haverhill 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,772Lowest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.2%±60.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.2%±5.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Boxford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Boxford and Exeter 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 | #34 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #243 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Boxford · Masconomet | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Masconomet Regional High School | Exeter High School | Haverhill High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.1Lowest |
12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.