The Town FilesAndover, Massachusetts
Town in Essex County · population 36,569 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $855,600
- Household income
- $172,606
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 42.9
Andover is a town of 36,569 people in Essex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $855,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more upscale than 94% of Massachusetts towns, better for young professionals than 88% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 83% of Massachusetts towns.
How Andover ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Andover is worth $855,600, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $172,606, which is more affordable than 39% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,201 a month. 79.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Andover | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $855,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,201 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $172,606 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 79.9% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Andover
| People | Andover | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.1% | — |
| Work from home | 30.4% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Andover
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 19.6°F. About 49.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.8 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Andover since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 29, 1974 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 1984.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 31, 1973.
Severe weather in Essex County since 1996
Essex County has been included in 40 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 25, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4372: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Essex County
Essex County had 323,694 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $75,548 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Andover itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Andover
11 public schools with 7,222 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | 9-12 | 1,774 | 10.8 |
| Andover High | 9-12 | 1,682 | 13.2 |
| West Elementary | K-5 | 565 | 10.9 |
| High Plain Elementary | K-5 | 544 | 12.4 |
| Bancroft Elementary | K-5 | 522 | 11.9 |
| Andover West Middle | 6-8 | 493 | 10.7 |
| Doherty Middle | 6-8 | 462 | 10.0 |
| South Elementary | K-5 | 432 | 13.1 |
| Henry C Sanborn Elementary | K-5 | 334 | 12.8 |
| Wood Hill Middle School | 6-8 | 331 | 9.2 |
| Shawsheen School | PK-PK | 83 | 8.3 |
Towns near Andover
- Andover, MA1.1 mi · 9,735 people · home $726,100
- Lawrence, MA3.6 mi · 89,143 people · home $415,200
- North Andover, MA4.0 mi · 30,915 people · home $732,900
- Tewksbury, MA4.2 mi · 31,342 people · home $573,600
- Wilmington, MA5.8 mi · 23,349 people · home $680,500
- North Reading, MA6.2 mi · 15,554 people · home $710,500
- Boxford, MA7.3 mi · 8,203 people · home $907,000
- Dracut, MA7.4 mi · 32,617 people · home $473,900
Andover questions
Is Andover, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Andover scores better for retirees than 62% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 24%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Andover?
The median owner-occupied home in Andover is valued at $855,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $172,606, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $2,201 a month.
What is the weather like in Andover?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 19.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.2 inches of precipitation a year and 47.8 inches of snow.
Does Andover get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Andover since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 29, 1974. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)