By Lisa Sevajian, Realtor · Published September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 14, 2026 · 9 min read

Schools or the House? How Do Parents in Andover MA, Haverhill MA and Southern NH Decide?

The house was perfect. The Tuesday morning commute wasn't.

Two kids. Years of school ahead. One house you love, in a town you hadn't planned on. Now you feel torn.

If that's you, you aren't alone. It's one of the hardest calls parents make when they buy north of Boston. The question is rarely which town has the best schools. It's which cost you can live with for the next 10 to 12 years.

I've made this choice twice myself. Once I picked the school district. The next time I picked the house I wanted over a higher-ranked school. Both times, I wish I'd weighed it more carefully. Knowing the market didn't make it easier. That's why I walk families through it slowly now.

Neither Tuesday is free. Pick the cost your family can carry without regret.

Should you choose the school district or the house?

Neither choice is free. Choosing the district often means less house or a tighter payment. Choosing the house often means more school planning.

The families who feel best later aren't always the ones with the biggest house or the top-rated district. They're the ones who saw the cost clearly before they signed.

This is Part 1 of 4. Start here to decide what matters most. Then read Part 2: the real cost, Part 3: how to research a school and Part 4: when the school isn't a fit.

What's the Tuesday-morning test?

Picture a normal Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. Not a sunny open house. A rainy school morning when everyone's late and someone can't find a shoe.

In the district-first house, the school run may be short. The house may also be smaller than you hoped, need work, or leave less room for activities and savings.

In the house-first home, you may get the space and budget you need. School may mean a longer drive, harder pickup plans or a tuition bill.

Here's a quick gut check. Finish these two lines on your own, then have your partner do the same. "We could live with less house if it meant ____." "We could live with more school driving if it meant ____." Many couples find they aren't fighting about a town at all. One is guarding money. The other is guarding peace of mind for a child.

Why does the town change the cost so much?

Because home prices and tax rates both change at the town line.

Here's what the same $700,000 assessed value pays in tax 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, Amesbury MA, Newburyport MA and Salem NH.

Real houses aren't assessed the same in every town, so use this to compare rates, not to guess a bill. Part 2 shows how to price the whole month on a real house.

For each town's school and tax details, see Andover MA, North Andover MA, Haverhill MA, Amesbury MA, Newburyport MA and Salem NH.

How will each choice feel every week?

Ask yourself these questions about each house:

• How long is the drive to school at real drop-off time?
• How long is your work drive at the hour you'll really leave?
• Can you cover pickup, after-school care, activities and early-release days?
• Does the house have the bedrooms, storage, yard and layout you need now?

Drive the route at the hour you'll use it. A 15-minute drive feels very different in a January storm.

What does the whole decision really cost?

The price is only one part. Add up the full month: mortgage, property tax, insurance, heat and power, early repairs, gas, care before and after school, school fees and any backup school cost.

Your lender can tell you if you qualify for a payment. That doesn't tell you if the payment leaves room for a normal life. Compare each option to your take-home pay, not your top approval.

Is the highest-rated school always the best fit for your child?

No. A top-rated district can still be the wrong fit for your child. A district with a weaker online score may have the teachers, programs or schedule that work for your family.

Start with official data. In Massachusetts, use the DESE school profiles. In New Hampshire, use the NH Education iPlatform. Then ask:

• Which school would my child go to at this exact address?
• Is that set by address, by lottery or by space?
• How steady are the staff, the leaders and the budget?
• What happens in the move to middle school?
• How does the district support kids with an IEP, which is a plan for a child who needs extra help?
• What's my real Plan B if this school isn't a fit in two or five years?

What questions do buyers forget to ask?

Which school, for sure. Living in a town doesn't promise a certain school. Call the district before you buy. Ask which school serves the address, if that's guaranteed, and how buses and after-school care work.

What's changing. A school profile shows the past. School committee notes, budgets and current parents tell you what's coming.

The middle school jump. Many families love their elementary school and get surprised later. Ask parents of older kids.

The real backup plan. In Massachusetts, school choice depends on the receiving district and can change each year. Charter lotteries, private tuition and rides all vary. Know your Plan B and its cost before the offer.

Which kind of family are you?

District first. You'll trade size, finishes or budget room for confidence in the public school.

House first. You need a home that works for daily life, plus a school plan that's real, not just a high score.

Room to adjust. You want enough money and time left over to change course if a child's needs change.

Still deciding. You know schools matter but haven't named what matters most. That's normal, and it's the best time to do this work.

Our team won't tell you which town is right. We help you see the trade clearly enough to own it. If you pick the district, we find the best home inside it. If you pick the house, we make sure the school plan is real.

This guide shares real estate experience and planning tips. It isn't education, money, tax or legal advice. School assignments, enrollment rules, buses, programs and tuition change. Check with the district, the school, your lender and your attorney before you buy.

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