North Andover at a glance
North Andover sits on the south bank of the Merrimack River, just across the line from Lawrence and next door to Andover. The two towns shared one center until they split in 1855, and that original center is still here: the Common, the North Andover Center Historic District, and the streets around Osgood, Stevens and Andover Streets. The district went on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and includes 75 properties.
Water shapes the town. Lake Cochichewick covers 560 acres in the northeast corner, the largest lake in Essex County, and it is North Andover's drinking water supply, so the land around it is protected and boating is limited to residents with permits. Weir Hill rises above the lake with four miles of trails and more than a mile of shoreline. To the south, Harold Parker State Forest spreads across more than 3,300 acres in North Andover, Andover, North Reading and Middleton, with an 89-site campground and 11 ponds.
Merrimack College, founded in 1947, has its 220-acre campus at 315 Turnpike Street on Route 114. The Stevens-Coolidge House and Gardens, 91 acres at 153 Chickering Road, is run by The Trustees of Reservations and opens its gardens to the public in season.
Neighborhoods and housing stock
Housing in North Andover changes a lot from one part of town to another, which is why the price range is so wide.
Around the Old Center and the Common you find the oldest homes: Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian houses, many on larger lots. Buyers here trade an open modern floor plan for character and land, and they should budget for the upkeep that comes with a house that age.
Down by Main Street and the old rail line is Machine Shop Village, the mill neighborhood built around the Davis and Furber machine works. The district covers 90 acres and was listed on the National Register in 1982. It has double cottages on Water Street from 1839, mill managers' houses on Elm Street, and the East and West Mills themselves, now renovated into loft apartments and offices.
Along Route 114, the town's main retail corridor, and on the side streets off it, sit most of the condominium and townhome communities. This is where buyers who want a lower entry price or less maintenance usually start looking.
Across the rest of town, especially in the areas developed from the 1980s through the 2000s, the stock is mostly colonials and capes in named subdivisions such as Forest View Estates and Carter Field, with a smaller number of newer homes on former farmland.
Commute and daily life
Route 114 runs through the west side of town as Turnpike Street and connects to I-495 at Exit 100 in Lawrence, right at the town line. I-495 itself crosses the western part of North Andover with one exit inside town. Route 125 shares a stretch of road with 114 past Merrimack College, then splits off as a bypass that reaches I-93. Route 133 also runs through town. For the train, Lawrence station, the McGovern Transportation Center at 211 Merrimack Street, is on the Haverhill Line to North Station and is also the MVRTA bus hub.
MassDOT has a Route 114 corridor project between Waverly Road and Willow Street and Mill Road that adds sidewalks, shared-use paths and signal upgrades. Expect construction along that stretch for a while.
The North Andover market today
As of May 2026, and these figures are estimated, the median sale price in North Andover is about $750,000, with most homes trading between $600,000 and $950,000. Homes are spending around 26 days on market. That points to a balanced market: a well-priced home still sells within a few weeks, but buyers have more room to negotiate and inspect than they do in Lawrence or Lowell.
Who Liriano Realty helps in North Andover
Liriano Realty is based at 240 Pleasant St Unit: 10, Methuen, MA 01844, a short drive from North Andover along Route 114 or Route 125. Broker and owner Jefri Liriano and the team work in English and Spanish, and North Andover is one of the towns we cover every week.
Typical situations we see here: buyers moving up from Lawrence or Methuen who want a condo off Route 114 as a first step into town, buyers looking for a colonial with a yard in one of the subdivisions, sellers with an older home near the Common who need help weighing character against condition when pricing, and condo owners who are ready to move into a single-family.
Next steps
Buyers can read the North Andover buyer guide for how negotiations tend to go in a balanced market. Owners weighing a sale will find pricing, preparation and timing in the North Andover seller guide. You can also contact Liriano Realty or call (617) 685-1515. Bookmark the North Andover hub for everything we publish about the town.