Compare towns
Wakefield vs Bow vs North Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
North Andover has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Wakefield | Bow | North Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793 |
8,335Lowest |
31,490Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
39.6±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Wakefield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and North Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
11%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$140,670±$9k 74% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$732,900±$37kHighest 120% 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 | $1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,223±$223Highest 57% 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 | $7,779 149% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,767Lowest 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9Highest 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 | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Bow 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #98 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Bow School District | North Andover |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Bow High School | North Andover High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8 |
13.3Highest |
| 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.