Compare towns
Holyoke vs Needham vs Everett vs Fall River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% 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 | Holyoke | Needham | Everett | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 37,813 |
32,459Lowest |
50,045 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6 about the MA average |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
| Needham and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Holyoke and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$56,673±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 32% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #281 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Needham | Everett | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Needham High | Everett High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.9 |
12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.