Compare towns
Spencer vs Everett vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Spencer | Everett | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008Lowest |
50,045Highest |
12,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
47.8±5.6 20% above MA |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,533±$11k 23% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$78,480±$8kLowest 25% below MA |
| Everett and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387Lowest 27% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,540 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±10.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Spencer 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Everett | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Everett High | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.