What stands out worked out from the figures below

Everett has the most kids (21.8% under 18).

Alton has the most homeowners (93.7%).

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	Everett	Alton
People
Population	50,045Highest	5,994Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S.	53.7±3.2Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%	13.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	35.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S.	$113,715±$19kHighest 41% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S.	$430,400±$37kLowest 29% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69 47% above U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Highest 56% above U.S.	$4,183Lowest 34% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	31.7%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Everett and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.	33 minLowest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Alton and Everett 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	#264 of 282 in MA	#72 of 120 in NH
School district	Everett	Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District
High school in town	Everett High	Prospect Mountain High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.