Compare towns
Bedford vs Everett vs Lawrence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Lawrence has the most affordable homes ($415k 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 | Bedford | Everett | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Lowest |
50,045 |
88,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
35.2±1.5 10% below U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23k 83% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69 47% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,880 56% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #7 of 120 in NH | #264 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford School District | Everett | Lawrence |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Everett High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
12.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.