What stands out worked out from the figures below

Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).

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	Haverhill	Boxford
People
Population	67,698Highest	8,208Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average	49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA
Kids under 18	21.3%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Boxford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±1.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Boxford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Boxford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,326±$4kLowest 15% below MA	$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$453,900±$9kLowest 19% below MA	$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,668±$49Highest 5% below MA	$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,772Lowest 20% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.2%±5.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Boxford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.3%Highest MA: 10%	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	94.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest same as MA	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	31 minHighest 7% above MA
Work from home	12.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#243 of 282 in MA	#34 of 282 in MA
School district	Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical	Boxford · Masconomet
High school in town	Haverhill High	Masconomet Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	12.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.