What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).

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	Northampton
People
Population	50,045Highest	30,962Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA	41.3±2.2Highest 3% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	62.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA	$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA
	Everett and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA	$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA	$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Lowest 19% below MA	$5,680Highest 5% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Northampton and Everett 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%	13.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	57.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 20% above MA	21 minLowest 26% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#264 of 282 in MA	#159 of 282 in MA
School district	Everett	Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural
High school in town	Everett High	Northampton High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	14.7Highest
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.