Lisa Sevajian Group
What Does It Really Cost to Choose Schools or the House in Andover MA, Amesbury MA and Beyond?
The quick answer: Price the whole month, not the list price. On the same $700,000 assessed value, FY2026 taxes run about $6,482 a year in Newburyport MA and $10,535 in Amesbury MA. Then add the drive, child care, school fees and any backup school plan. Compare each house to your take-home pay.
Your payment has to fit your life, not just your approval letter.
Your lender says yes. The house is in the school district you wanted. So why does it still feel scary?
Because a yes from the bank isn't the same as a month you can live with. If you're worried about that gap, you aren't alone. It's the part most parents never see on a listing.
In Part 1, you ran the Tuesday-morning test. Now let's put real numbers on it.
The bank tells you what you can borrow. Your month tells you what you can live with.
Why does the list price mislead family buyers?
Because most of what you pay each month isn't in the price.
Most parents compare two listings by price and school rating. Those two numbers leave a lot out. Think tax, insurance, heat, repairs, the drive and child care. Those costs often change the most from town to town.
This is Part 2 of 4. Read Part 1: schools or the house first if you haven't yet.
How much do property taxes change from town to town?
A lot. Each town sets its own rate, and the gap can be thousands of dollars a year on the same value.
Here's what a home assessed at $700,000 pays in six towns. Assessed value is the value the town puts on a home for taxes. Rates come from Andover MA, the state of Massachusetts, Haverhill MA, Methuen MA, Amesbury MA and Newburyport MA.
| Town, FY2026 | Home tax rate per $1,000 | Yearly tax at $700,000 assessed | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andover MA | $12.31 | About $8,617 | About $718 |
| North Andover MA | $11.24 | About $7,868 | About $656 |
| Haverhill MA | $10.61 | About $7,427 | About $619 |
| Methuen MA | $10.40 | About $7,280 | About $607 |
| Amesbury MA | $15.05 | About $10,535 | About $878 |
| Newburyport MA | $9.26 | About $6,482 | About $540 |
What stands out. Amesbury MA and Newburyport MA sit side by side. On the same value, Amesbury MA pays about $4,053 more a year. Over 12 years of school, that's about $48,636.
Andover MA pays about $1,190 more a year than Haverhill MA on the same value. That's about $14,280 over 12 years.
Real houses aren't assessed the same in every town. So check the real assessed value on each house before you trust any estimate. Our guide to assessed value vs market value shows how.
What goes into the full monthly cost?
Price every line below for each house on your short list.
Housing
- Mortgage payment at the rate your lender quotes you, not an online guess.
- Property tax on the home's assessed value, checked with the town assessor.
- Home insurance, plus flood insurance where it's needed.
- Heat and power, which run higher in older and bigger homes.
- Repairs the inspection is likely to find.
- Condo or HOA fees, if any.
Getting around
- Gas, tolls and parking for your real work drive.
- A second car, if the house needs one.
- Time. An extra 30 minutes each way is five hours a week.
School and care
- Care before and after school, and whether spots are open.
- Bus rules and any bus fees.
- Sports and activity fees.
- Summer care, which most budgets forget until June.
Plan B
- Private school tuition, if that's a real backup.
- Rides to a charter or school choice seat.
- The cost of moving again, if your plan depends on it.
Why compare against take-home pay instead of your approval?
Because your approval shows what you can borrow, not what leaves room to live.
The most useful number is the full monthly cost of each house as a share of your take-home pay. A payment the lender approves can still leave nothing for savings or fun. Then every month feels tight.
Here's a simple rule. If one choice only works when nothing goes wrong, it's the riskier choice, whatever the school rating says.
What does a real comparison look like?
Say you're choosing between a bigger house in Haverhill MA and a smaller one in North Andover MA.
On one side, the North Andover MA house may cost more to buy and carries a higher tax rate. Your kids may share a room for a while.
On the other side, the Haverhill MA house may add drive time, after-school care or a private school backup, based on your school plan.
Some families find the two land closer than they expected. Others find a clear winner. You only know once you price both columns. Use the state's school profiles to check the exact schools for each address while you do.
How can the Lisa Sevajian Group help you compare?
We build a side-by-side cost sheet for your two real houses.
It uses each home's assessed value and the town's tax rate. It adds insurance quotes and drive times at real hours. It also adds the school and care costs you expect. You make the call with the whole month in front of you.
Next in the series: Part 3: how to research a school before you move and Part 4: when the school isn't a fit.
Tax figures here are examples based on one assessed value. They aren't your bill. Check current assessments, rates and costs with the town assessor, your lender and your attorney before you buy.
Part 2 of 4: Schools or the house
Want the whole month priced for two homes?
Text me the two addresses. I'll price the full month for each so you can see the real trade.
About Lisa Sevajian
Lisa Sevajian is a Realtor with the Lisa Sevajian Group at eXp Realty, licensed in Massachusetts. The Lisa Sevajian Group helps families buy and sell in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She has guided almost 2,000 families through buying and selling and has ranked in the top 1.5% of over 1.4 million Realtors nationwide (RealTrends America's Best). She serves the Andovers, the Merrimack Valley, Seacoast MA and NH, Southern NH and the North Shore. Buying, she makes sure you don't overpay. Selling, she makes sure you don't say yes to too little. Call or text Lisa Sevajian at 978-457-3406.
Questions people ask
Are Massachusetts property taxes based on the sale price?
No. They're based on the assessed value the town sets, which is often different from the sale price. Check it with the town assessor.
Why does a cheaper town sometimes have a higher tax bill?
Each town sets its own rate. A town with a high rate, like Amesbury MA at $15.05 per $1,000, can match the bill on a pricier home elsewhere.
What's the property tax on a $700,000 house in Amesbury MA?
At the FY2026 rate of $15.05 per $1,000, a home assessed at $700,000 pays about $10,535 a year.
What's the property tax on a $700,000 house in Newburyport MA?
At the FY2026 rate of $9.26 per $1,000, a home assessed at $700,000 pays about $6,482 a year.
How much more are taxes in Andover MA than Haverhill MA?
On the same $700,000 assessed value, Andover MA pays about $8,617 a year and Haverhill MA about $7,427, a gap of about $1,190.
Is North Andover MA more expensive than Haverhill MA in taxes?
The rate is higher: $11.24 per $1,000 in North Andover MA and $10.61 in Haverhill MA for FY2026. Compare real bills on real houses.
What costs do family buyers most often forget?
Summer care, sports and activity fees, a second car and the cost of a backup school plan.
Should we compare homes against the lender approval amount?
No. Compare against take-home pay. The approval shows what you can borrow, not what leaves room for savings and repairs.
How do I estimate property tax on a house in Methuen MA?
Divide the assessed value by 1,000 and multiply by 10.40, Methuen MA's FY2026 home rate.
How much does a longer school drive cost in time?
An extra 30 minutes each way adds up to five hours a week.
Where can I compare schools in Andover MA and Haverhill MA?
Use the Massachusetts DESE school profiles site and look up the exact schools for each address.
Sources
- Town of Andover MA: FY2026 tax rate (checked October 14, 2026)
- City of Haverhill MA: FY2026 tax rate (checked October 14, 2026)
- City of Methuen MA Assessor database: FY2026 tax rate (checked October 14, 2026)
- City of Amesbury MA Assessor: FY2026 tax rate (checked October 14, 2026)
- City of Newburyport MA Assessor: FY2026 tax rate (checked October 14, 2026)
- Massachusetts Division of Local Services: FY2026 tax levies, assessed values and tax rates
- Massachusetts DESE: School and district profiles
This is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Check with your attorney, lender and CPA before you decide.
I'll guide you home.
Lisa Sevajian