Compare towns
Northampton vs Everett vs Watertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
Everett has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Watertown has the highest household income ($126k).
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 | Northampton | Everett | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,962Lowest |
50,045Highest |
35,543 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2Highest 3% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
39.4±1.3 about the MA average |
| Northampton and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.3%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Northampton and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$126,265±$6kHighest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$610,000±$23k 9% above MA |
$784,600±$31kHighest 40% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,502±$107Highest 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 5% below MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$6,799Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Northampton and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
47.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Highest 9 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 26% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Watertown and Northampton 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Everett | Watertown |
| High school in town | Northampton High | Everett High | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.1 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.