What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Amherst Town has the most people working from home (21%).

Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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 Town
People
Population	50,045Highest	38,182Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.2±1.5Highest 12% below MA	21.4±0.2Lowest 47% below MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	7.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9%	10.1%±1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Everett and Amherst Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	75.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	59.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA	$66,968±$7kLowest 36% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA	$484,900±$21kLowest 14% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA	$1,671±$93Lowest 5% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Lowest 19% below MA	$8,787Highest 47% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.1%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Amherst Town and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.7%Lowest MA: 10%	23.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	44.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 20% above MA	18 minLowest 38% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	21%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#264 of 282 in MA	#58 of 282 in MA
School district	Everett	Amherst · Amherst-Pelham
High school in town	Everett High	Amherst Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.