Compare towns
Chelsea vs Upton vs Everett
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).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Upton | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,908 |
8,189Lowest |
50,045Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 34.4±1.3Lowest 14% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chelsea and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $493,500±$24kLowest 12% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
| Everett and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,956±$96 11% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±5.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941 23 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #280 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chelsea | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Everett |
| High school in town | Chelsea High | Blackstone Valley | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.