Compare towns
Everett vs Halifax vs Lawrence vs Boston
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%).
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Lawrence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Boston has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Halifax | Lawrence | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 50,045 |
7,748Lowest |
88,736 |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
41.9±4.7Highest 5% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
33.3±0.2 17% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Halifax 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% |
18.8%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9% MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$118,556±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$97,344±$2k 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,662±$50Lowest 6% below MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
| Boston and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880 19% below MA |
$6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,456 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence 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% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
16.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
35.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 20% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #264 of 282 in MA | #120 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | Halifax | Lawrence | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Everett High | None in town | Lawrence High School | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 13.6 |
18.7Highest |
| 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.