Compare towns
Medford vs Beverly vs Arlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medford has the most renters (45.9% rent).
Beverly has the most affordable homes ($650k median).
Arlington has the most people working from home (34.5%).
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 | Medford | Beverly | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 59,354Highest |
42,665Lowest |
46,350 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
41.6±1.3Highest 4% above MA |
| Arlington and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Arlington and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Beverly and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,540±$8k 25% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$150,701±$5kHighest 45% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,500±$23k 34% above MA |
$650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
$933,800±$23kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$2,082±$76 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,286Lowest 5% above MA |
$6,836 14% above MA |
$9,604Highest 60% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±4.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 7.6% MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
61.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #203 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medford | Beverly | Arlington |
| High school in town | Medford High | Beverly High | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
12.2 |
13.6Highest |
| 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.