Compare towns
Everett vs Windham vs Boston vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Windham has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Somerville has the most people working from home (31.3%).
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 | Windham | Boston | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 50,045 |
19,188Lowest |
666,442Highest |
81,036 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.5 10% below U.S. |
41.8±1.8Highest 7% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2 14% below U.S. |
31.9±0.6Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Everett and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.3%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
10%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
69.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
12.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
$132,572±$6kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,000±$23k 83% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$911,300±$26kHighest 174% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,076±$69 47% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$2,517±$64Highest 78% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,880 56% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,456 43% above U.S. |
$6,186Highest 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Everett and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.3%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #264 of 282 in MA | #95 of 133 in ME | #258 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Everett | RSU 14 | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Somerville |
| High school in town | Everett High | Windham High School | Boston Latin School | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.1 |
18.7Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.