Compare towns
Everett vs Cambridge vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Cambridge has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% 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.
| Measure | Everett | Cambridge | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 50,045 |
118,796Highest |
39,908Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5Highest 12% below MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
34.4±1.3 14% 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 | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.4%±2.1Highest 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+ | 11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9% MA: 47.3% |
80.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$130,748±$4kHighest 26% above MA |
$72,179±$8kLowest 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$1,092,100±$42kHighest 94% above MA |
$493,500±$24kLowest 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA |
$1,956±$96Lowest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,802 20% below MA |
$3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.4%±5.1Highest 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 | 14.7% MA: 10% |
12.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
33.5% MA: 62.5% |
26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
1941 23 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #264 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA | #280 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | Cambridge | Chelsea |
| High school in town | Everett High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Chelsea High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.3Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.