What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellingham has the most homeowners (78.9%).

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellingham	Everett
People
Population	17,410Lowest	50,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	38.2±1.5Highest 4% below MA	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA
	Bellingham and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Highest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Bellingham and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,307±$10kHighest 21% above MA	$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$450,700±$13kLowest 20% below MA	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,836±$196Lowest 4% above MA	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA
	Everett and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,030Highest 16% below MA	$4,880Lowest 19% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8%	56.4%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bellingham and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest MA: 10%	14.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 24% above MA	35 minLowest 20% above MA
Work from home	18.3%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#232 of 282 in MA	#264 of 282 in MA
School district	Bellingham	Everett
High school in town	Bellingham High School	Everett High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.