Compare towns
Everett vs Northampton vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Northampton has the most people working from home (24.1%).
Chelsea has the most renters (74% rent).
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 | Northampton | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 50,045Highest |
30,962Lowest |
39,908 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
41.3±2.2Highest 3% above MA |
34.4±1.3Lowest 14% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chelsea and Everett 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% |
20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
22.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$80,288±$6k 23% below MA |
$72,179±$8kLowest 31% 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 |
$493,500±$24k 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA |
$1,956±$96 11% above MA |
| Everett and Chelsea 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 |
$5,680Highest 5% below MA |
$3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
59.4%±5.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Chelsea and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% MA: 10% |
13.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA |
1941 23 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #264 of 282 in MA | #159 of 282 in MA | #280 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Chelsea |
| High school in town | Everett High | Northampton High | Chelsea High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
13.1 |
| 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.