Bay State Atlas
Town comparison · Massachusetts

Lawrence vs North Andover

North Shore · North Shore
Even split (3–3) on headline livability metrics

On the six headline livability metrics, Lawrence and North Andover split the table evenly. This is a real tradeoff, not a ranking. Median homes in Lawrence run roughly $318k cheaper than in North Andover, about 43% less. Schools tilt clearly toward North Andover (90 vs. 70).

The two towns at a glance

Lawrence

North Shore · pop. 89,143
Densest MA city outside Boston, immigrant-built, mill-canal core, and a commuter rail terminus pointed straight at North Station.
64
Default fit score
equal weights, 0–100
Full Lawrence profile →

North Andover

North Shore · pop. 30,915
Phillips-Andover-adjacent without the Phillips-Andover price tag, with Lake Cochichewick, working farms, and Route 93 access.
69
Default fit score
equal weights, 0–100
Full North Andover profile →

Head-to-head: every metric

Lawrence North Andover
Headline
Livability index 67 71
Economics
Median home $415k $733k
Household income $60k $141k
Price ÷ income 6.9× 5.2×
Tax burden 55 50
Schools & Safety
Schools 70 90
Safety 70 80
Getting around
Commute to Boston 38 min 39 min
Walkability 65 32
Transit 38 20
Biking 32 28
Lifestyle
Dining 83 83
Nightlife 83 83
Arts & culture 70 93
Green space 50 70
Community
Diversity 87 87
Climate 68 72
5-yr trend 70 70

Clay = wins this metric. Direction matters: lower median home and shorter commute are better; everything else, higher is better.

Compare on your terms

These winners are based on a neutral, equal weighting of every metric. Your priorities are not neutral. Open Lawrence vs North Andover in the interactive atlas to tune schools, walkability, affordability, commute, and seven more dimensions, and watch the verdict change.

Stuck between Lawrence and North Andover?

I'm Gary Fikes, a licensed real estate agent at MP Signature Realty and the curator of this site. I've walked both towns. Tell me what matters most and I'll give you a straight answer within 1 business day. No auto-dialer, no spam, no resale.

About this comparison

Bay State Atlas ranks 194 Massachusetts towns using public data (Census ACS, MA DESE schools, Walk Score, MA Department of Revenue tax data, and the FBI UCR safety index) normalized to 0–100. Every weight is editable. This page is a static, indexable snapshot. The live tool is faster and lets you customize what counts.