Compare towns
Milton vs Boston vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Andover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
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 | Milton | Boston | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,587Lowest |
666,442Highest |
36,652 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
42.9±1Highest 7% above MA |
| Andover and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Milton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
8.1%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$172,606±$16k 66% above MA |
| Milton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
$855,600±$22k 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$2,201±$129Highest 25% above MA |
| Andover and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677 61% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Andover and Milton 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #68 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Milton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Milton High | Boston Latin School | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Lowest |
18.7Highest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.