Town of Andover Massachusetts Equity Dashboard

“Diversity is the landscape, inclusion is the path, equity is the destination.”

Data is a reflection of our history, illustrating the legacy of long-standing barriers and systemic inequity.

We count what we can measure, rather than what truly counts. Look beyond the fundamental limitation of these quantitative analyses and consider that behind every data point is a neighbor.

Our path to systemic equity is forged through intentional action: targeted policies, inclusive resource allocation, and diverse representation in our government and our schools.

Resident Diversity

Predominant (>70%) demographic

70.5 %

identify as 'white alone, not Hispanic-Latino' (~25K)

Source: 2022 American Community Survey (ACS)

Andover's Black population (doubled since 2012)

~2.5 %

Andover's Asian population is ~15%

ACS 5-year estimates

Andover residents born in Massachuetts

58%

6% of residents are non-citizens, 10% are naturalised citizens, 16% are foreign born

ACS 5-year survey

Residents moved to Andover after 2010

>57%

9% lived in Andover before 1990

ACS data

Andover residents living below poverty line

3.5%

~1,250 residents, ~6x more MA-born than Foreign-born residents live in poverty

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates

How old is Andover?

42.7

Median age

The largest age group is 50-54 years (~9.00%) and >65 age is ~15%

Civic Inclusion

Houses

~13,800

Total number of housing units

Averagae houshold size is 2.7 people

West Andover has highest proportion of minority residents

2X

more than Shawsheen, which has the least

Ballardvale population 65+

19%

The least is West Andover: 65+ population is 12.5%

Civic leaders over 50 years old

75 %

44% of all residents are over 50

DEI commission Civic Leadership survey 2025

Andover rate of increase of 3+ bedroom homes

15.1%

Since 2010

Lowell Junction has highest home values

$881,900

median value of home

Lowest is Shawsheen area: $618,500

Low Income students attendance rates

3.3%

lower than average students

Worst rates for unexcused and chronic absences,

Hispanic/Latino students chronic absence rate

2X

than average students (>10% of time not in school)

Hispanic/Latino rate: 18.5%, Low Income: 22.3%, All White students: 6.7%

Schools with majority-minority student body

3

Wood hill (middle), High Plain (elementary) and Shawsheen schools (pre-Kl)

Over 50% of student body are not Town's majority white population

Employment Equity

APS staff identifying as white

90%

84% are Female

921 total employees

Town Employee salary Bands are all Male majority except

<$50K

Employeees with salary >$100K:: males: 77, females: 20

(not inclusing APS)

Town Employee Gender Gap

85.7¢

Female earnings for every dollar earned by male counterparts

(not inclusing APS)

Workforce Representation Gap

15.7%

majority race/ethnicity overrepresentation in municipal employees

Town and APS staff relative to residents

Gap from top 5% households to bottom 20%

$886,477

Economic growth over the past decade has concentrated heavily within upper-income households

ACS 5-Year Estimates (Table B19081)

Raw Data

Town Population summary

Predominant (>70%) demographic

70.5 %

identify as 'white alone, not Hispanic-Latino' (~25K)

Source: 2022 American Community Survey (ACS)

Race and Ethnicity

Andover’s racial breakdown clearly shows that there is an absolute majority of White population in the town (~70% of the total population). Racial distribution: <1.9% are Black or African American, 0.2% are American Indian and Alaska Native, ~16% are Asian, 1.25% are some other race and 4.85% are multiracial.

By ethnicity 9.3% are Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates 2022

Data is from May 2026 Town Census, for which 97% did not report nationality. These demographic probabilities were estimated by integrating name-based frequency data with US Census-based priors from the 2010 U.S. Census Surname frequency distribution.

Population Trends 2012-2022

Andover's Black population (doubled since 2012)

~2.5 %

Andover's Asian population is ~15%

ACS 5-year estimates

Trends in Minority Population

There is now a collective impact of a diverse population that is now a permanent and growing pillar of Andover’s “Patriotic” landscape. The magic number of 30% mathematically signals that the town is transitioning from a “homogenous suburb” to a “pluralistic community.” Of note is the increase in residents identyfing as more than one race.

Place of Birth by Citizenship Status

Andover residents born in Massachuetts

58%

6% of residents are non-citizens, 10% are naturalised citizens, 16% are foreign born

ACS 5-year survey
Andover, MA: Citizenship and Origin Trends (2015–2023)
All values (except Total Pop) expressed as a % of Total Town Population
Year
Total Residency
Total Pop
Citizen (Naturalized)
Not-Yet-Citizen
Born in MA Foreign Born Total Naturalized Total Non-Cit Europe Asia Africa Oceania LatAm NoAm Europe Asia Africa Oceania LatAm NoAm
2023 58.09 16.36 10.35 6.01 36,465 1.30 7.17 0.09 0.04 1.56 0.18 1.10 3.75 0.02 0.11 0.72 0.32
2022 58.07 16.38 10.86 5.52 36,389 1.62 7.41 0.05 0.05 1.66 0.08 0.85 2.90 0.02 0.09 1.34 0.31
2021 56.56 17.03 11.34 5.69 36,323 1.66 7.97 0.09 0.00 1.53 0.08 0.91 3.62 0.02 0.09 0.73 0.31
2019 56.06 17.44 10.89 6.55 35,816 2.26 6.88 0.14 0.00 1.39 0.21 1.30 3.67 0.11 0.12 0.71 0.64
2018 55.76 17.08 10.51 6.57 35,609 2.20 6.06 0.62 0.00 1.42 0.22 1.50 3.64 0.11 0.15 0.54 0.63
2017 56.92 15.88 9.03 6.85 35,375 2.07 4.89 0.59 0.00 1.25 0.22 1.80 3.70 0.12 0.12 0.45 0.65
2016 57.70 15.88 8.96 6.92 34,963 2.14 4.64 0.71 0.06 1.15 0.27 1.88 3.79 0.12 0.13 0.35 0.65
2015 58.00 15.59 9.11 6.47 34,616 1.68 5.10 0.61 0.06 1.26 0.42 1.68 3.83 0.04 0.03 0.60 0.30

Foreign Born Population (Census table = B05002)

Data is from US census ACS 5-year survey, constant percentage of foreign born population since 2015 (data prior is different format).

Andover’s foreign-born population at 16% is less than that in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area: 19.7% and equivalent to the rate in Massachusetts: 17.7%.

Suggesting the town has maintained a more stable demographic composition even as Massachusetts overall has experienced significant immigrant population growth over the past decade.

Town Census

The Town Clerk’s Office conducts the annual town census starting in January, as required under Massachusetts State Law. Residents are requested to review, update, sign and return the census form mailed to them by the Town within 10 days - even if there are no changes. Some of the data collected through the census is published by statute in what is commonly known as the “Street List.”

Year moved into Andover

Residents moved to Andover after 2010

>57%

9% lived in Andover before 1990

ACS data

From 2000 to 2010 a significant ageing of Andover’s popualtion was evident. 57% of residents moved to Andover after 2010 concomitant with a drop in median age.

Income and Poverty

Andover residents living below poverty line

3.5%

~1,250 residents, ~6x more MA-born than Foreign-born residents live in poverty

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates

Table B06012 shows residents below the poverty line, it means their total household pre-tax cash income fell short of the uniform federal threshold required to sustain a family of their specific size during that 12-month survey period.

B06011 (Individual Median): The universe for Table B06011 is “Population 15 years and over with income”. This counts every single person over 15 who earned at least $1 in the last year. This includes part-time students, retirees, and low-wage workers, which typically pulls the median lower.

Age and Gender

How old is Andover?

42.7

Median age

The largest age group is 50-54 years (~9.00%) and >65 age is ~15%

Age and Gender

The largest age group was 50-54 years (~9.00% of the total population), with the median age in Andover town is 42.7 (compared to 38.8 nationwide) and town’s elderly or the senior population (over 65 age) was ~15% as compared to ~16% nationwide.

While every community is unique, when it comes to demographic composition there are many similarities from community to community. Andover’s age typology type: School children and middle-aged adults. These topology communities tend to have higher proportions of school-aged children and adults in their 40s and 50s. While these communities have plenty of kids and established adults, they have very few young adults. There are 80 communities that match this profile.

https://mhpcenterforhousingdata.shinyapps.io/DataTown/

Seniors map

Ballardvale population 65+

19%

The least is West Andover: 65+ population is 12.5%

Age and Gender

The largest age group was 50-54 years (~9.00% of the total population), with the median age in Andover town is 42.7 (compared to 38.8 nationwide) and town’s elderly or the senior population (over 65 age) was ~15% as compared to ~16% nationwide.

While every community is unique, when it comes to demographic composition there are many similarities from community to community. Andover’s age typology type: School children and middle-aged adults. These topology communities tend to have higher proportions of school-aged children and adults in their 40s and 50s. While these communities have plenty of kids and established adults, they have very few young adults. There are 80 communities that match this profile.

https://mhpcenterforhousingdata.shinyapps.io/DataTown/

Population Disability

Age and Disability

Andover’s elderly population (65+) currently makes up about 15% of the town. Unlike the general population, where disability rates are low (around 5% for those under 65), the disability rate for Andover’s seniors is significantly higher and follows a sharp upward curve as residents enter their 70s and 80s. This reflects an aging-in-place population.

The most prevalent disability among Andover seniors is Ambulatory Difficulty (difficulty walking or climbing stairs), affecting nearly 17% of the 65+ population. Exemplyfing a need to shift in our conversations from “disability as a minority issue” to “disability as an inevitable part of the Andover lifecycle”.

Data from ACS 5-year surveys Tables S1810 (Subject Table) and B18101 (Base Table)

https://andoverma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16799/Andover-Data-Slides_Priority-Topics_For-Client-Review-031023

Population Veteran

ACS_2023_5-year: censusreporter.org

Civic Leadership (Board and Commission resident volunteers )

Civic leaders over 50 years old

75 %

44% of all residents are over 50

DEI commission Civic Leadership survey 2025

Town Civic Leadership (volunteers) reported occupations

Data is from 2025 Civic Leadeship Survey Conducted by the DEI Commission, 3 emails sent to all appointed Board and Commission resident volunteers only

Town census reported occupations

Data is from May 2026 Town Census, employment categories are subjective, 14% of respondents did not add employment data. NB this is a work in progress. Healthcare category logic: nurse|rn|social|physician|counselor|health|doctor|care|yoga|medic|therap|path|cna|lpn|chiropract|orthodon|md|sonograph|psycholo|dent|optome

Salaried Positions (not including APS)

Town Employee salary Bands are all Male majority except

<$50K

Employeees with salary >$100K:: males: 77, females: 20

(not inclusing APS)

Salary Gender ceiling (not including APS)

Town Employee Gender Gap

85.7¢

Female earnings for every dollar earned by male counterparts

(not inclusing APS)
Andover Pay Equity: Median vs. Leadership Ceiling
Typical Experience
The 'Ceiling'
Gender Identity Employees Median Salary Highest Paid Cents on the $1.00 Ceiling Multiplier
MALE 269 $87,632 $235,060 100¢ 2.7x
FEMALE 125 $75,106 $164,400 85.7¢ 1.9x
Note:
Town-wide Median Salary: $86,126.18. Ceiling Multiplier represents how many typical town salaries equal the top earner's pay.

Salary Race/Ethnicity ceiling (not including APS)

Andover Diversity Pay Equity: Ethnic Representation & Ceiling Analysis
Median Comp
Leadership Ceiling
Ethnicity Group Employees Median Salary Highest Paid (Ceiling) Cents on the $1.00 (vs Caucasian) Ceiling Multiplier
CAUCASIAN 356 $87,084 $235,060 100¢ 2.7x
HISPANIC 20 $79,629 $162,000 91.4¢ 1.9x
OTHER RACE 6 $65,236 $71,591 74.9¢ 0.8x
BLACK 5 $79,016 $108,248 90.7¢ 1.3x
Note:
Town-wide Median Salary: $86,126.18. The Ceiling Multiplier shows how the top earner in each group compares to the town's typical salary. All other races have less than 4 employees

Representation gaps

Workforce Representation Gap

15.7%

majority race/ethnicity overrepresentation in municipal employees

Town and APS staff relative to residents

Town of Andover Population is ~36,400.

Town and School Employment summary

Town of Andover Population is ~36,400.

APS Staff demographics

APS staff identifying as white

90%

84% are Female

921 total employees

Data is from Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Student demographics

Town of Andover Population is ~36,400.

Individual Schools

Schools with majority-minority student body

3

Wood hill (middle), High Plain (elementary) and Shawsheen schools (pre-Kl)

Over 50% of student body are not Town's majority white population

Town of Andover Population is ~36,400.

Student attendance

Low Income students attendance rates

3.3%

lower than average students

Worst rates for unexcused and chronic absences,

Hispanic/Latino students chronic absence rate

2X

than average students (>10% of time not in school)

Hispanic/Latino rate: 18.5%, Low Income: 22.3%, All White students: 6.7%

Town of Andover Population is ~36,400.

Student Unexcused Absences

Town of Andover Population is ~36,400.

Student Chronic Absences

School absent 10% Of the time

Minority Map

West Andover has highest proportion of minority residents

2X

more than Shawsheen, which has the least

Location of homes according to minority (non-white)

Population Denisty map

Town of Andover Population is ~36,400.

Home value map

Lowell Junction has highest home values

$881,900

median value of home

Lowest is Shawsheen area: $618,500

Location of homes according to value

Household Size

Houses

~13,800

Total number of housing units

Averagae houshold size is 2.7 people

This is calculated by dividing total population by occupied housing units. Andover is unchanged during local and national housing crisis.

New Home Trends

Andover rate of increase of 3+ bedroom homes

15.1%

Since 2010

Luxury Trap

Andover’s focus on large-format homes is creating a ‘luxury trap’: affordability is decreasing and the town’s attractiveness to young professionals is stagnant. Data shows that larger builds are coinciding with a decline in our home value ratio relative to the county.

Home Value Ratio

This ratio \[Ratio = \frac{\text{Town Median Home Value}}{\text{County Median Home Value}}\] calculates a Market Premium Index: a single number that tells you if a town is becoming more or less “elite” relative to its own county. It suggests that Andover is becoming “less affordable” (when combined with data from new home trends) without becoming “more valuable” relative to its peers.

Income divergence

Gap from top 5% households to bottom 20%

$886,477

Economic growth over the past decade has concentrated heavily within upper-income households

ACS 5-Year Estimates (Table B19081)

ACS table B19081 contrast the mean household incomes of the five standard socioeconomic quintiles against the elite top 5% stratum, illustrating a widening absolute income gap over a 13-year horizon. The top 5% stratum and the highest quintile (top 20%) demonstrate disproportionate, near-exponential upward mobility. The steep slope of the top 5% line isolates this group as the primary driver of the town’s shifting economic baseline, widening the gap between the town’s elite earners and the broader community.

Race and Ethnicity

While Andover is predominantly a town of homeowners, a look at tenure distribution by race reveals a significant disparity. For example, while the owner-to-renter ratio for the town as a whole is heavily skewed toward ownership, certain minority groups rely much more heavily on the rental market, making them more vulnerable to shifts in rent pricing and availability.

Mortality by age

Mortality Distribution Trends: Andover, MA
Age Group Share (%) and Total Annual Death Counts
Age Cohort 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Under 1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1-4 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0
5-14 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.4
15-24 0.4 0.9 0.9 0.4 1.0 1.1 0.0
25-34 3.0 0.9 0.9 1.2 0.5 0.4 1.1
35-44 0.4 1.8 0.5 1.2 1.5 0.7 3.0
45-54 6.5 6.7 6.1 3.8 2.9 2.6 3.4
55-64 8.7 9.4 5.6 4.2 7.8 6.2 9.4
65-74 13.5 13.9 14.1 15.0 11.8 16.8 11.7
75+ 67.0 66.4 71.8 73.8 74.0 72.2 70.9
Total Deaths (n) 230 223 213 240 204 273 265

age death https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deaths-of-massachusetts-residents finalized MDPH Annual Death Reports typically have a multi-year lag

Mortality cause

Manner of Death Trends: Andover, MA
Annual Proportion (%) of Total Deaths by Category
Manner of Death 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Accident 4.3 4.5 5.6 4.2 8.3 5.1 7.2
Could not be determined 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Homicide 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.4
Natural 93.5 93.7 93.0 95.0 91.2 93.4 91.3
Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Pending investigation 1.3 0.4 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Suicide 0.4 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.5 1.1 1.1
Therapeutic complication 0.4 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Total Deaths (n) 230 223 213 240 204 273 265

manner of death https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deaths-of-massachusetts-residents finalized MDPH Annual Death Reports typically have a multi-year lag

Mortality and Race

Mortality Composition by Race/Ethnicity
Andover, MA | Percentage of Reported (Non-Suppressed) Deaths
Race and Hispanic Ethnicity 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
American Indian/Alaska Native, nH/nL 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.4%
Asian/Pacific Islander, nH/nL 4.8% 0.4% 4.7% 5.4% 4.4% 4.4% 7.2%
Black, nH/nL 0.9% 1.3% 1.4% 0.8% 3.4% 0.4% 0.8%
Hispanic/Latinx 1.7% 1.8% 1.4% 2.5% 2.0% 2.6% 3.8%
Other, nH/nL 0.4% 1.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.7% 0.4%
White, nH/nL 92.1% 95.1% 92.5% 90.8% 90.2% 91.9% 87.5%
Total Known Deaths (n) 229 223 213 240 204 273 265

race of death relects population changes https://www.mass.gov/info-details/deaths-of-massachusetts-residents finalized MDPH Annual Death Reports typically have a multi-year lag to compare with town’s population would reuire a age-adjusted analyses

About

This dashboard provides an overview of data as related to equity within the Town of Andover MA.

  • Data Sources: ACS surveys, DESE, Employee data
  • Author: Town of Andover DEI commission: deicomm@andoverma.us
  • “when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure” - Goodhart’s Law
  • Last Updated: 2026-05-29