Compare towns
Chelsea vs Chicopee vs Everett vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).
Chicopee has the most homeowners (55.7%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Chelsea | Chicopee | Everett | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 39,908Lowest |
55,295 |
50,045 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.9% MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.4±1.3 14% below MA |
41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest 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+ | 10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
22.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,179±$8k 31% below MA |
$62,615±$6kLowest 40% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $493,500±$24k 12% below MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$96 11% above MA |
$1,157±$50Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% 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 | $3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
$3,847 36% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,456 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±5.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest 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 | 20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
17.3% MA: 10% |
14.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941 23 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #280 of 282 in MA | #247 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelsea | Chicopee | Everett | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Chelsea High | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | Everett High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.2Lowest |
12.1 |
18.7Highest |
| 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.