Compare towns
Everett vs Lawrence vs Thompson vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Everett has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Lawrence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).
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 | Lawrence | Thompson | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 50,045 |
88,736 |
9,337Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5 10% below U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2 14% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 11.3%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Boston and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23k 83% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69 47% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Boston and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880Highest 56% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
$4,456 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #264 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | Lawrence | Thompson School District | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | Everett High | Lawrence High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
13.6 |
7.9Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.