Compare towns
Haverhill vs Westfield vs Milford
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%).
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
Milford has the most people working from home (14.5%).
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 | Westfield | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 67,698Highest |
40,378 |
30,431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1 about the MA average |
39.9±1.8Highest about the MA average |
38.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Westfield and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±1.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.1%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Haverhill and Milford 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% |
18.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Milford and Westfield 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% |
33.2% MA: 47.3% |
35.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,326±$4k 15% below MA |
$87,753±$6kLowest 16% below MA |
$96,365±$4kHighest 7% below MA |
| Milford and Haverhill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,900±$9k 19% below MA |
$325,100±$11kLowest 42% below MA |
$476,700±$12kHighest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,668±$49 5% below MA |
$1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,909±$137Highest 8% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,772 20% below MA |
$4,746Lowest 21% below MA |
$5,869Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.2%±5.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Haverhill and Milford 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% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
7.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Milford 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 | #197 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Haverhill · Whittier Regional Vocational Technical | Westfield | Milford |
| High school in town | Haverhill High | Westfield High | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.9Lowest |
11.9Lowest |
| 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.