What stands out worked out from the figures below

Haverhill has the most homeowners (62.8%).

Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).

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	Lawrence
People
Population	67,698Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±1.1Highest about the MA average	32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA
Kids under 18	21.3%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.5%±1.2Highest MA: 17.9%	10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Lawrence 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±$4kHighest 15% below MA	$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$453,900±$9kHighest 19% below MA	$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,668±$49Highest 5% below MA	$1,662±$50Lowest 6% below MA
	Haverhill and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,772Highest 20% below MA	$3,422Lowest 43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.2%±5.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lawrence and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.3%Lowest MA: 10%	17.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest same as MA	1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 6% below MA	23 minLowest 21% below MA
Work from home	12.5%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6%	6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#243 of 282 in MA	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical	Lawrence
High school in town	Haverhill High	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Lowest	13.6Highest
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.