What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).

Lynn has the most kids (24.1% under 18).

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	Boston	Lynn
People
Population	666,442Highest	101,709Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA	36.5±1.2Highest 9% below MA
Kids under 18	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	13.7%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Lynn and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA	$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA	$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA	$5,384Highest 10% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	16.6%Highest MA: 10%	13.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	48.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 4% above MA	32 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6%	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#258 of 282 in MA	#277 of 282 in MA
School district	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston	Lynn
High school in town	Boston Latin School	Lynn English High
Students per teacherat that high school	18.7Highest	15.0Lowest
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.