Pros and Cons of Living in Andover
Andover's core trade-off pairs a real, top-tier public school system, Phillips Academy's legacy, and a substantial Pfizer employment anchor against a real, substantial housing cost and elevated property tax rate.
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Learn morePro: a real, top-tier school system and national educational heritage
Andover Public Schools carry an overall Niche A+ rating, and Phillips Academy (founded 1778) is one of the country's most nationally recognized private boarding schools.
Pro: a real, substantial employment anchor and direct rail access
Pfizer's 70-acre, 3-million-square-foot Andover site is a real, substantial local employer, and the Andover MBTA station is directly getting a high-level-platform upgrade under a $139.6 million federal investment announced August 2026.
Con: a real, substantial housing cost
The average Andover home value is $909,911, with median sale prices running above $1.1 million (April 2026) -- a real, substantial cost, meaningfully higher than Haverhill's figures within this same batch.
Con: a real, disclosed elevated property tax rate
Andover's 1.29% effective property tax rate runs significantly above both the national and Massachusetts averages -- a real cost tied directly to funding its top-tier schools and municipal services.
Key takeaways
- Pro: Andover Public Schools carry an overall Niche A+ rating, alongside Phillips Academy's nationally recognized legacy.
- Pro: Pfizer's substantial Andover site and a direct high-level-platform upgrade coming to the Andover MBTA station (2026 federal investment).
- Con: a real, substantial average home value ($909,911) and median sale price above $1.1 million.
- Con: a real, disclosed elevated 1.29% effective property tax rate, well above national and Massachusetts averages.
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