What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).

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	Shrewsbury
People
Population	31,490Lowest	38,876Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±2Lowest about the MA average	40.6±1.5Highest about the MA average
	Shrewsbury and North Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.2%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Shrewsbury 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%	15.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	North Andover and Shrewsbury 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%	65.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.9%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,670±$9kHighest 35% above MA	$139,302±$11kLowest 34% above MA
	North Andover and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$732,900±$37kHighest 30% above MA	$592,300±$20kLowest 5% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,223±$223Highest 26% above MA	$2,116±$98Lowest 20% above MA
	North Andover and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,767Highest 30% above MA	$6,923Lowest 16% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53%±9Highest MA: 51.8%	44.2%±6.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	North Andover and Shrewsbury 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%	3.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	72.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979 15 yrs newer than MA	1979 15 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 9% above MA	31 minLowest 6% above MA
Work from home	20.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.3%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#98 of 282 in MA	#30 of 282 in MA
School district	North Andover	Shrewsbury
High school in town	North Andover High	Shrewsbury High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Lowest	14.4Highest
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.