What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

South Hadley has the most homeowners (77%).

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	South Hadley
People
Population	50,045Highest	17,754Lowest
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	42.6±2.6Highest 7% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4%	12.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.3%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	50.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA	$93,910±$15kHighest 10% below MA
	South Hadley and Everett 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	$357,900±$19kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA	$1,325±$54Lowest 25% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Lowest 19% below MA	$5,500Highest 8% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%	48.7%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Everett and South Hadley 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%	7.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	77%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 20% above MA	24 minLowest 19% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	17.3%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#264 of 282 in MA	#216 of 282 in MA
School district	Everett	South Hadley
High school in town	Everett High	South Hadley High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	8.6Lowest
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.