What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Andover has the most affordable homes ($733k median).

Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).

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	North Andover	Andover
People
Population	31,490Lowest	36,652Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±2Lowest about the MA average	42.9±1Highest 7% above MA
Kids under 18	21.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Andover and North Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%	16%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	North Andover and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	75.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	8.1%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	North Andover and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,670±$9kLowest 35% above MA	$172,606±$16kHighest 66% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$732,900±$37kLowest 30% above MA	$855,600±$22kHighest 52% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA	$2,201±$129Lowest 25% above MA
	North Andover and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,767Lowest 30% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53%±9Highest MA: 51.8%	39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Andover and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.4%Highest MA: 10%	2.9%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA	1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 9% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	20.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.4%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#98 of 282 in MA	#68 of 282 in MA
School district	North Andover	Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	North Andover High	Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Highest	12.8Lowest
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.