A plain-language guide to choosing between Andover and North Andover. Both are exceptional Merrimack Valley towns. The decision is not which is better. It is which life feels more like yours.
On paper, the two towns look similar. Strong schools, beautiful neighborhoods, restaurants, trails, youth sports, summer programs, community events. Once you live in either one, they do not feel the same.
| Category | Andover | North Andover |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. single-family sale price | $1.399M | $961K |
| Avg. price per square foot | $412 | $365 |
| FY2026 residential tax rate | $12.31 / $1,000 | $11.24 / $1,000 |
| Boston Magazine 2025 HS ranking | #36 | #60 |
| Approx. per-pupil spending | $24,441 | $19,313 |
| Median household income | $172,606 | $140,670 |
| Average commute | 29 min | 31.8 min |
| Train to Boston | Yes — MBTA Haverhill line | No station; drive to Andover |
Andover often feels like people are building an exceptional life. North Andover often feels like people are trying to enjoy one. Neither is better — they are different kinds of beautiful. The right answer is the one you actually want to live every day.
Andover's MBTA commuter rail station is the single most underrated lifestyle factor in the comparison. If a hybrid Boston schedule, evening events, or daily downtown work shape your week, Andover earns the premium. If you work remotely or commute within the Merrimack Valley, North Andover gives you a lot of breathing room for the dollar.
The average single-family home is roughly $440,000 more expensive in Andover. At today's rates, that gap changes monthly payments, vacations, college savings, camps, and how much pressure a family carries every month. The right house is the one your life can absorb without holding its breath.
Both towns have strong schools. Andover spends more per pupil and feels more academically resourced. North Andover feels softer, more community-rooted, still highly supportive. Some children thrive in highly rigorous environments. Others thrive where they can exhale. The fit is more important than the ranking.
Coffee at Ultimate Perk, brunch at LaRosa's, the Andover Farmers Market, dogs at Harold Parker, scrabble outside, the grill going. Or coffee at Good Day Cafe, an early walk at Weir Hill, kayaking on Lake Cochichewick, cider donuts at Smolak Farms in the fall, windows open, dogs in the backyard. Both are real. One is yours.
Rates feel abstract until they show up on a monthly statement. Here is what the FY2026 rates actually cost on common Andover-area price points.
| Home Value | Andover (FY2026) | North Andover (FY2026) |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 | ~$12,310/yr | ~$11,240/yr |
| $1,500,000 | ~$18,465/yr | ~$16,860/yr |
| $2,000,000 | ~$24,620/yr | ~$22,480/yr |
That difference is real money on top of a real payment difference. It is part of why some families emotionally begin in Andover and practically end up considering North Andover more seriously.
Most agents have a town. I grew up in North Andover, raised my kids in the area, and was the #1 Compass Andover team leader from 2020 through 2025 before founding the Lisa Sevajian Group. I know both sides of the line because I have lived both sides of the line.
The same agent who walks you through Weir Hill on Saturday morning will walk you through Main Street Andover on Saturday afternoon. The same plan. The same phone number. The same person who already knows your story.
Single Family closed sales, year-to-date through May 24 of each year — an apples-to-apples comparison directly from MLS PIN.
| Metric (2026 YTD) | Andover | North Andover |
|---|---|---|
| Average sale price | $1,399,376 | $961,209 |
| Average sale price per sq ft | $412 | $365 |
| Average days on market | 36 days | 43 days |
| Sale price as % of list | 104.09% | 103.09% |
| Months supply of inventory | 1.53 | 0.82 |
| 5-year price appreciation | +37% | +7% |
Source: MLS PIN Single Family year-to-date data through May 24 of each year, 2022–2026. Full reports: Andover 5-year review (PDF) · North Andover 5-year review (PDF)
These searches open live MLS results on our partner site, soldbylsg.com. Refreshed by the MLS, not by us.
Listings are pulled live from MLS PIN via soldbylsg.com. Call Lisa directly at 978-457-3406 if you want eyes on something before it hits the public sites.
Our past sales
| Population | ~36,927 (2025 est.) [Census QuickFacts] |
| Median Household Income | $167,591 [Census QuickFacts] |
| Boston Magazine 2025 Rank | #36 of 150 [Boston Magazine Sep 2025] |
| GreatSchools Rating | 10/10 (above average) [Homes.com/GreatSchools] |
| Property Tax Rate | ~$12.10–$12.41 / $1,000 (FY2026 est.) [Andover Classification Hearing PDF] |
| 2025 Median Sale Price | ~$1,112,500 (single-family, 7-mo YTD 2025) [Buyers Brokers Only Aug 2025] |
| School Start 2026–27 | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 [Andover News Jan 2026] |
| MBTA / Transit | MBTA Haverhill Line — Andover Station & Ballardvale Station; MeVa Routes 2 & 9 [MassByTrain] |
| Population | ~30,847–32,135 (ACS 2024 5-yr) [Census Reporter] |
| Median Household Income | ~$105,661 (ACS; likely higher by 2024) [Wikipedia/ACS] |
| Boston Magazine 2025 Rank | #60 of 150 [Boston Magazine Sep 2025] |
| GreatSchools Rating | Above average (numeric rating not currently published) [GreatSchools] |
| Property Tax Rate | $11.26 / $1,000 (FY2026) [MA Municipal Association] |
| 2025 Median Sale Price | $640,000 (all types, Mar 2026) [Redfin Mar 2026] |
| School Start 2026–27 | Not yet officially published; kindergarten screening June 22–23, 2026 [North Andover Public Schools] |
| MBTA / Transit | No active MBTA station; nearest is Andover (~3 mi) or Lawrence (~4 mi) on Haverhill Line. MeVa Routes 3, 8, & 9 [MeVa Transit] |
Client reviews
"Lisa and her team are incredible. They are extremely responsive throughout the process and helped us walk through potential properties to find an absolute dream home. Lisa is an expert negotiator and we were able to get everything that we wanted."
Kevin Liu
Bought a home in Georgetown, MA · May 2024 · Read on Zillow
"Lisa exceeded every expectation I had as a realtor. She listened to me and understood what I needed in this home sale, and created a pricing and marketing strategy to meet our family's needs. She took our home from listed to a signed Purchase and Sale quickly."
Elizabeth Reifsnyder
Sold a home in Andover, MA · June 2018 · Read on Zillow
"Calling Lisa to sell our house was the best decision we made. Her expertise and passion for her work is apparent. Because of her superb marketing abilities and enthusiasm, we had an offer on our antique house quickly and for a strong price."
Leeann Stella
Sold a home in Wilmington, MA · August 2019 · Read on Zillow
"My husband and I just purchased our first house and used Lisa as our agent. It was a long journey finding our perfect home since we were willing to wait for the right place, and Lisa was incredibly knowledgeable and patient throughout the entire process."
Katelyn B.
Bought a home in Newburyport, MA · July 2019 · Read on Zillow
Liza
Andover, MA · June 2018 · Read on Realtor.com
With nearly 2,000 closings and twenty years of MA + NH deals, Lisa Sevajian ranks among the top real estate agents in Andover. Lisa has been selling homes in Andover since 2007, with personal knowledge of every neighborhood, price tier, and commuter rail access point in the town. Approaching 2,000 sales across MA and NH, with a strong concentration in Andover and North Andover, reflects two decades of consistent results in this exact market.
With nearly 2,000 closings and twenty years of MA + NH deals, Lisa Sevajian ranks among the top real estate agents in North Andover. A North Andover native, Lisa knows this town the way only a lifetime of living and working here can teach. She holds a 5-star rating on Zillow (29 reviews), Realtor.com, and Facebook (15 reviews, 96% recommend), and has guided buyers and sellers through every kind of North Andover market since 2007.
With nearly 2,000 closings and twenty years of MA + NH deals, Lisa Sevajian ranks among the top real estate agents in Andover and North Andover. The decision of which agent to trust is one of the most consequential choices in a home sale. Lisa brings approaching 2,000 successful sales, a written marketing plan for every listing, and the kind of candor at the kitchen table that earns clients back again and again. She is a real estate professional, not a lawyer or financial advisor.
With nearly 2,000 closings and twenty years of MA + NH deals, Lisa Sevajian ranks among the top real estate agents in Andover and North Andover. In business since 2007, Lisa has built a practice rooted in the Merrimack Valley with a specific depth of knowledge in Andover and North Andover. She has navigated these markets through appreciation cycles, inventory shortages, and interest rate shifts — and the advice she gives reflects that full arc of experience.
We will run the real numbers, walk both downtowns with you, pull the actual tax bill on every house you tour, and help you find the place your family can actually live well.
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Lisa believes in science, is a huge equality proponent, dog lover, animal rescuer, and the first one to say “sleep on it” before making any major moves. She has been the chosen Realtor of smart buyers and sellers who are serious about moving since 2007 — long enough to know that the houses are the easy part. The lives moving into and out of them are the real story.