Compare towns
Hanover vs Paxton vs Lynnfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the highest household income ($190k).
Paxton has the most affordable homes ($472k median).
Lynnfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Hanover | Paxton | Lynnfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,845Highest |
5,002Lowest |
13,064 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.4Highest 4% above MA |
41.8±3.3Highest 4% above MA |
41.4±2.1Lowest 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
28%±4.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynnfield and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Paxton and Lynnfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% MA: 47.3% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$134,083±$8kLowest 29% above MA |
$175,265±$23k 69% above MA |
| Hanover and Lynnfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,400±$39k 34% above MA |
$472,300±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$917,600±$31kHighest 63% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,845±$341 5% above MA |
$1,386±$88Lowest 21% below MA |
$2,676±$219Highest 52% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,342 56% above MA |
$7,129Lowest 19% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69.2%±21.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynnfield and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
27.4%±4.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lynnfield and Paxton 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA | #27 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Wachusett | Lynnfield |
| High school in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | None in town | Lynnfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
— | 12.0Highest |
| 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.