Compare towns
Boston vs Everett vs Lawrence
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%).
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 | Boston | Everett | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
50,045Lowest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2 17% below MA |
35.2±1.5Highest 12% below MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$1,662±$50Lowest 6% below 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 |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest 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 | 16.6% MA: 10% |
14.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Everett | Lawrence |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Everett High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
13.6 |
| 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.