What stands out worked out from the figures below

Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).

Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).

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	Amherst
People
Population	50,045Highest	11,861Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S.	45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Amherst and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S.	$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S.	$537,600±$30kLowest 62% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S.	$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S.	$9,773Highest 213% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.	33 minLowest 23% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#264 of 282 in MA	#20 of 120 in NH
School district	Everett	Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District
High school in town	Everett High	Souhegan Coop High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	10.4Lowest
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.