Compare towns
Everett vs Heath 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%).
Heath has the most homeowners (88.3%).
Medford has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Heath | Medford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 50,045 |
765Lowest |
59,354Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
35.9±1 10% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
59.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$129,540±$8kHighest 25% above MA |
| Medford and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69Lowest 18% above MA |
— | $2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880 19% below MA |
$4,438Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,286Highest 5% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.1%±4.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1942 22 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Medford 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 | — | #203 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | — | Medford |
| High school in town | Everett High | — | Medford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 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.