Compare towns
Amherst Town vs Everett vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst Town has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Everett has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Somerville has the highest household income ($133k).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Everett | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,182Lowest |
50,045 |
81,036Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 21.4±0.2Lowest 47% below MA |
35.2±1.5Highest 12% below MA |
31.9±0.6 20% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 7.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10.1%±1 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Everett and Amherst Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
69.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 59.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,968±$7kLowest 36% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,900±$21kLowest 14% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$93Lowest 5% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,787Highest 47% above MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$6,186 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Amherst Town and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.7%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
9.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 44.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 38% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 21%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham | Everett | Somerville |
| High school in town | Amherst Regional High | Everett High | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
12.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.