Compare towns
Haverhill vs Fall River vs Boxford
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%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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.
| Measure | Haverhill | Fall River | Boxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698 |
94,082Highest |
8,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest 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% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boxford and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±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±$4k 15% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9k 19% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49Highest 5% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772 20% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #243 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #34 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Boxford · Masconomet |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | B M C Durfee High | Masconomet Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.3Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.