What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).

Everett has the most homeowners (37.2%).

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	Chelsea	Everett
People
Population	39,908Lowest	50,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+15.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	34.4±1.3Lowest 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	24.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	21.8%±2.1Lowest 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%	11.3%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Everett and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	24.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Everett and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,179±$8kLowest 31% below MA	$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA
	Everett and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$493,500±$24kLowest 12% below MA	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,956±$96Lowest 11% above MA	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA
	Everett and Chelsea 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	$4,880Highest 19% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.4%±5.1Highest MA: 51.8%	56.4%±5.8Lowest 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%	14.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	26%Lowest MA: 62.5%	37.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1941Highest 23 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 13% above MA	35 minHighest 20% above MA
Work from home	10.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%	10.5%±2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Everett and Chelsea 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	#280 of 282 in MA	#264 of 282 in MA
School district	Chelsea	Everett
High school in town	Chelsea High	Everett High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.