The Town FilesHaverhill, Massachusetts
City in Essex County · population 67,787 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $453,900
- Household income
- $88,326
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 39.4
Haverhill is a city of 67,787 people in Essex County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $453,900, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more walkable than 91% of Massachusetts towns, more vibrant than 89% of Massachusetts towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Massachusetts towns.
How Haverhill 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 Haverhill is worth $453,900, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $88,326, which is more affordable than 35% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,668 a month. 62.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Haverhill | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $453,900 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,668 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $88,326 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 62.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Haverhill
| People | Haverhill | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.6% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.7% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 93.9% |
Weather in Haverhill
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 16.2°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.8 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Haverhill since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 2, 1961 about 5.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 1991.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 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 Haverhill itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Haverhill
18 public schools with 9,465 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haverhill High | 9-12 | 1,991 | 13.5 |
| Whittier Regional Vocational | 9-12 | 1,279 | 10.3 |
| Caleb Dustin Hunking School | K-8 | 1,064 | 13.0 |
| Consentino Middle School | 5-8 | 828 | 12.7 |
| Dr Paul Nettle | 5-8 | 531 | 10.4 |
| Pentucket Lake Elementary | K-5 | 499 | 10.8 |
| John G Whittier | 5-8 | 498 | 12.5 |
| Golden Hill | K-4 | 476 | 11.1 |
| Bradford Elementary | K-4 | 465 | 10.6 |
| Tilton | K-4 | 446 | 11.4 |
| Silver Hill Elementary School | K-4 | 441 | 10.8 |
| Hill View Montessori Charter Public School (charter) | K-8 | 304 | 13.8 |
Towns near Haverhill
- Groveland, MA4.1 mi · 6,752 people · home $610,900
- Plaistow, NH4.3 mi · 7,830 people · home $404,500
- Merrimac, MA5.4 mi · 6,723 people · home $553,400
- Atkinson, NH5.6 mi · 7,087 people · home $555,200
- West Newbury, MA6.3 mi · 4,500 people · home $808,200
- Newton, NH6.4 mi · 4,820 people · home $459,500
- Georgetown, MA6.6 mi · 8,470 people · home $651,200
- Salem, NH6.8 mi · 30,089 people · home $473,300
Haverhill questions
Is Haverhill, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Haverhill scores better for retirees than 5% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 8%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Haverhill?
The median owner-occupied home in Haverhill is valued at $453,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,326, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,668 a month.
What is the weather like in Haverhill?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 16.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.6 inches of precipitation a year and 57.8 inches of snow.
Does Haverhill get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Haverhill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 2, 1961. 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)