What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beverly has the most kids (18.5% under 18).

Medford has the highest household income ($130k).

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	Beverly	Medford
People
Population	42,665Lowest	59,354Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39±1.8Highest about the MA average	35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA
Kids under 18	18.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%	12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%	15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	11.2%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Beverly and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average	$129,540±$8kHighest 25% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA	$755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average	$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,836Highest 14% above MA	$6,286Lowest 5% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8%	41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	9.4%Highest MA: 10%	7.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	60.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA	1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 3% above MA	30 minHighest 4% above MA
Work from home	22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.8%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Medford and Beverly 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	#144 of 282 in MA	#203 of 282 in MA
School district	Beverly	Medford
High school in town	Beverly High	Medford High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	9.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.