Compare towns
Merrimac vs Everett vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($422k median).
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 | Merrimac | Everett | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Lowest |
50,045Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Everett and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,843±$268 5% above MA |
| Everett and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Westminster and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Everett | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Everett High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
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.