What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Gardner has the most homeowners (58.9%).

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	Gardner
People
Population	50,045Highest	21,148Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Everett and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Everett and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Highest 19% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Everett and Gardner 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%	13.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 20% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Gardner and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#264 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Everett	Gardner
High school in town	Everett High	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	13.5Highest
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.