Compare towns
North Andover vs Hooksett vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Andover has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Hooksett has the most affordable homes ($407k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | North Andover | Hooksett | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 31,490Highest |
15,057Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Andover and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,670±$9kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14k 66% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $732,900±$37kHighest 120% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$223Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,767 149% above U.S. |
$6,554Lowest 110% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Andover and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.3%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and North Andover 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 | #98 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Andover | Hooksett School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | North Andover High | None in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.