Compare towns
Haverhill vs Plaistow vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Haverhill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Plaistow has the highest household income ($108k).
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
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 | Plaistow | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
7,861Lowest |
40,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.1±3.7Highest 3% above U.S. |
39.9±1.8 about the U.S. average |
| Plaistow and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westfield and Plaistow 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4k 9% above U.S. |
$108,317±$13kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$404,500±$32k 22% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,664±$187 18% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772 53% above U.S. |
$7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$4,746Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Haverhill and Plaistow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plaistow and Haverhill 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 | #243 of 282 in MA | #66 of 120 in NH | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Timberlane Regional School District | Westfield |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Timberlane Regional High School | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.