What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Waltham has the most people working from home (24.2%).

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	Waltham
People
Population	50,045Lowest	64,902Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.5Highest 12% below MA	34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA
	Everett and Waltham 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%	13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	15.8%±1.1Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	57.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA	$120,216±$7kHighest 16% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$610,000±$23kLowest 9% above MA	$748,700±$27kHighest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,076±$69Lowest 18% above MA	$2,268±$79Highest 29% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,880Highest 19% below MA	$4,766Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8%	44.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	14.7%Highest MA: 10%	9.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.7%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	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.2%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#264 of 282 in MA	#217 of 282 in MA
School district	Everett	Waltham
High school in town	Everett High	Waltham Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	10.4Lowest
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.