Compare towns
Ashby vs Lawrence vs Everett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Lawrence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
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 | Ashby | Lawrence | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
88,736Highest |
50,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest about the MA average |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #200 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Lawrence | Everett |
| High school in town | None in town | Lawrence High School | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.