North Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 30,915.

History

Native Americans inhabited what is now northeastern Massachusetts for thousands of years prior to European colonization of the Americas. At the time of European arrival, Massachusett and Naumkeag people inhabited the area south of the Merrimack River and Pennacooks inhabited the area to the north. The Massachusett referred to the area that would later become North Andover as Cochichawick.

The lands south of the Merrimack River around Lake Cochichewick and the Shawsheen River were set aside by the Massachusetts General Court in 1634 for the purpose of creating an inland plantation. The Cochichewick Plantation, as it was called, was purchased on May 6, 1646 when Reverend John Woodbridge, who had settled the land for the English, paid Massachusett sachem Cutshamekin six pounds and a coat for the lands. The plantation was then incorporated as Andover, most likely in honor of the hometown of many early residents, Andover, Hampshire, England. The town was centered in what is now North Andover, but the spread of settlement south and west of the old town center created much conflict in the early years about the location of the parish church. In 1709, the matter was brought to the General Court, which set aside two parish churches, north and south. The parishes grew apart as the years went on and on April 7, 1855, the North parish separated from the south and was incorporated as North Andover.

There are several first period (pre-1720) houses still standing in town. The oldest house is probably the Bridges House, relocated from Marbleridge Road to Court Street in 2001; the original portion of this house probably dates to about 1690. Other first period houses include the Stevens House on Great Pond Road; the Faulkner House on Appleton Street; the Abiel Stevens House on Salem Street; the Parson Barnard House, which is a museum; a house on Andover Street near the intersection with Chickering Road; and the Carlton-Frie-Tucker House at 140 Mill Road. No house in North Andover has been scientifically dated by dendrochronology, so dates are based solely on stylistic elements, original deeds, and tradition.

The North Parish Church on the North Andover Green is a historic church building built in 1836. It was the 5th meetinghouse of the Puritan church congregation founded in 1645 in North Andover. In about 1836 the congregation chose to become a Unitarian church and commissioned this Gothic building.

North Andover’s development was varied, with much of the land along the Shawsheen and Merrimack being concerned with industry, and the lands southwest being more agricultural. Several mills were located in the town, as well as the Western Electric Company, AT&T’s manufacturing division, which supplied telephone machinery for many years before it was split up by AT&T into the new company, Lucent Technologies. Today, North Andover is considered a bedroom community of the Greater Boston area.

In January 2018, voters turned down a proposal for a cannabis-growing and research facility in the former Lucent Technologies building, along the Merrimack River. The town meeting vote was 1,430 against having recreational marijuana facilities and 1,155 voted in favor. The growing and research facility was expected to bring in to the town $100 million over a 20-year period.

Education

North Andover is home to its own school system. It has an early childhood center, five elementary schools (Atkinson Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Kittredge Elementary, Annie L. Sargent Elementary, Thomson Elementary), North Andover Middle School and North Andover High School. On May 16, 2017, the citizens of North Andover approved the expansion of the early childhood center, which opened for the 2018–2019 school year. The primary reason behind this expansion was to reduce elementary class size, which it failed to realize.

In 2004, a brand new high school and complete sporting complex including a football field, a soccer field, field hockey greens, and a lacrosse field was added. There is a complete track and field area and numerous tennis courts. North Andover’s mascot is the Scarlet Knight and its colors are scarlet and black. It competes in the Merrimack Valley Conference and Division II of the MIAA. Its main rival is Andover, who it plays in the annual Thanksgiving Day football game. High school students from North Andover are also allowed to attend Greater Lawrence Technical School in Andover. There are two private schools in North Andover: Brooks School, and Saint Michael’s Elementary School. The nearest private high schools include: Phillips Academy Andover (9–12), Austin Preparatory School (6–12), Central Catholic High School (9–12), which are located in the nearby towns of Andover and Reading, and the city of Lawrence.

North Andover is also home to Merrimack College, a Catholic Augustinian four-year college. The nearest public community college, based in Haverhill, is Northern Essex Community College, which also has a campus in Lawrence and a Corporate & Community Education Center in North Andover. The nearest public university is University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell).

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 28,352 people, 10,516 households, and 7,324 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,078.0 inhabitants per square mile (416.2/km²). There were 10,964 housing units at an average density of 416.9 per square mile (161.0/km). The racial makeup of the town was 88.7% White, 1.78% African American, 0.09% Native American, 6.31% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.62% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.93% of the population.

There were 10,516 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.4% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

As of the 2017 American Community Survey, the median income for a household in the town was $105,661, and the median income for a family was $132,674. Males had a median income of $68,411 versus $42,270 for females. The per capita income for the town was $51,658. 5.1% of the population and 2.9% of families were below the poverty line. 5.2% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.