Compare towns
Boxford vs Reading vs North Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
North Andover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Boxford | Reading | North Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,208Lowest |
25,612 |
31,490Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.6±2Lowest about the MA average |
| Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Boxford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
17%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Boxford and Reading 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 MA: 47.3% |
66.3% MA: 47.3% |
61.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$140,670±$9kLowest 35% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$732,900±$37kLowest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA |
| North Andover and Reading 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 67% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$7,767Lowest 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9 MA: 51.8% |
| Boxford and North Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Boxford 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #98 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Boxford · Masconomet | — | North Andover |
| High school in town | Masconomet Regional High School | — | North Andover High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 13.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.