Compare towns
Everett vs Fall River vs Malden vs Somerville
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%).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Malden has the most homeowners (41.3%).
Somerville has the most people working from home (31.3%).
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 | Fall River | Malden | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 50,045Lowest |
94,082Highest |
65,906 |
81,036 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.5% MA: +7.4% |
+7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
39.3±1.2Highest about the MA average |
35.8±1 11% below MA |
31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.2%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Fall River 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% |
16.1%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±1.2 MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.1% MA: 47.3% |
69.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$100,606±$6k 3% below MA |
$132,572±$6kHighest 28% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$633,500±$26k 13% above MA |
$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,204±$62 25% above MA |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880 19% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,995 17% below MA |
$6,186Highest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±4.6 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
11.4% MA: 10% |
9.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
41.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #264 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #184 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Malden | Somerville |
| High school in town | Everett High | B M C Durfee High | Malden High | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.3 |
16.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.