Everett vs Malden
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
The prices are essentially identical, so schools break the tie: Malden is ahead — 33rd percentile on MCAS against 7th.
Malden is about 5 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak, and it has MBTA rail while Everett does not. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
Choose Everett if you prefer the town itself — the numbers do not separate them.
All Everett numbers →Choose Malden if you want the stronger schools of the two, or you want the lower price, or the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Malden numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsMalden ahead on 2 of 8
| Everett | Malden | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | mixed schoolsT4 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS achievement | 7th | 33rd |
| Student growth | 49th | 53rd |
| Graduation rate | 78% | 85.2% |
| State accountability | Substantial progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $21,764 | $21,528 |
| Schools in the district | 9 | 6 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 57 | 55 |
What a home costsEverett ahead on 1 of 8
| Everett | Malden | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $700kT2 | $700kT2 |
| 3BR townhouse | $560k | $575k |
| 2BR condo | $415k | $425k |
| 3BR home | $665k | $722k |
| 5+ BR home | $805k | $894k |
| 3BR rent | $3,533/mo | $3,540/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $191k | $188k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.2% a year | 5.8% a year |
What you pay the townMalden ahead on 2 of 4
| Everett | Malden | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $12.62T3 | $11.40T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$8,800 | ≈$8,000 |
| Town spending per resident | $6,314 | $3,357 |
| Share of budget on schools | 45% | 43% |
Getting to workMalden ahead on 2 of 3, 1 against
| Everett | Malden | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 24 minT1 | 19 minT1 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Rapid transit (T) · ~11 min to downtown |
| Miles from downtown | 3 mi | 5 mi |
Before kindergartenMalden ahead on 2 of 4, 1 against
| Everett | Malden | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 138 | 102 |
| Child care places | 1,620 | 2,376 |
| Centers vs family programs | 11 centers | 25 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 66 | 330 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Everett | Malden | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,075 | 66,263 |
| Energy | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Compact center | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Family amenities | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Culture | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Gathering places | 7/10 | 8/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
