Compare towns
Haverhill vs Boxford vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Boxford has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Merrimac has the oldest population (median age 49.4).
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 | Haverhill | Boxford | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
8,208 |
6,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the MA average |
49.1±3.6 23% above MA |
49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Merrimac and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest 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%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Boxford 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% |
41% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9kLowest 19% below MA |
$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49Highest 5% below MA |
$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
| Haverhill and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,399 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3 MA: 51.8% |
67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest 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% |
9.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #243 of 282 in MA | #34 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Boxford · Masconomet | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Masconomet Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.