What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Medford has the most people working from home (26.8%).

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	Medford
People
Population	50,045Lowest	59,354Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA	35.9±1Highest 10% below MA
	Medford and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	15.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	59.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	11.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA	$129,540±$8kHighest 25% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kLowest 9% above 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	$4,880Lowest 19% below MA	$6,286Highest 5% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%	41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	14.7%Highest MA: 10%	7.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	54.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1942Highest 22 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 20% above MA	30 minLowest 4% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	26.8%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%
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 Our Story	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.