Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Lawrence vs Everett vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Bernardston has the most affordable homes ($332k 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 | Buzzards Bay | Lawrence | Everett | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909 |
88,736Highest |
50,045 |
2,164Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
49±3.2 23% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$81,940±$10k 21% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,283±$553Lowest 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,422 43% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,516 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±15.1 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 | 7.3% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
77.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±6.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay and Bernardston 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 | — | #278 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Lawrence | Everett | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | Lawrence High School | Everett High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.