Compare towns
Everett vs Fairhaven vs Medford
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%).
Fairhaven has the most homeowners (74.4%).
Medford has the most people working from home (26.8%).
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 | Everett | Fairhaven | Medford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 50,045 |
15,903Lowest |
59,354Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
35.9±1 10% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$129,540±$8kHighest 25% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880 19% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,286Highest 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
7.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA |
1942 22 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.8%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #264 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #203 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | Fairhaven | Medford |
| High school in town | Everett High | Fairhaven High | Medford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.4 |
9.2Lowest |
| 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.