Compare towns
Boston vs Chelsea vs Everett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).
Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).
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.
| Measure | Boston | Chelsea | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
39,908Lowest |
50,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.9% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
34.4±1.3 14% below MA |
35.2±1.5Highest 12% below MA |
| Everett and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Chelsea and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA |
$72,179±$8kLowest 31% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$493,500±$24kLowest 12% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,956±$96Lowest 11% above MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
| Boston and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456 26% below MA |
$3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.4%±5.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Chelsea and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6% MA: 10% |
20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7% MA: 62.5% |
26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA |
1941 23 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #280 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Chelsea | Everett |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Chelsea High | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
13.1 |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.