Community Profile: Everett
Everett became a city in 1892. It has 38,037 people living on a 3.4 square mile area. It is the only city in the US that has two levels of law makers; this is called a bicameral legislature.
Demographics
Everett has always been a city of immigrants. Early immigrants were mainly from Italy and Ireland. Recent immigrants are mainly from Brazil, El-Salvador and Haiti. Everett has seen a lot of changes in its residents in the last 20 years. Between 1990 and 2000, the proportion of Hispanics and blacks has more than doubled, while the proportion of white residents has decreased. The table below shows the racial/ethnic make up of Everett. The figure on the right shows the rapid increase in the proportion of blacks and Hispanics in the city between 1990 and 2000.
Everett is a city with diverse culture and language. About a third of the people speak a language different from English. This cultural and language diversity seems more reflected in the Everett public schools. In the 2008/2009 school year, 43.3% of the students did not speak English as a first language. In the 1999/2000 school year only 26.3% indicated that English was not their first language.
| Racial/Ethnic Distribution of the City of Everett | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity | 1990 | 2000 |
| White, Non-Hispanic | 91.2% | 75.2% |
| Black or African American, Non-Hispanic | 2.9% | 6.0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic | 1.7% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic | 3.8% | 9.5% |
| American Indian, Non-Hispanic | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Health Issues
A recent look at public health data for Everett, obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), showed the following health concerns:
- Asthma, diabetes and lung disease rates are higher in Everett than the state of Massachusetts
- Rates of mental disease and substance abuse are higher in Everett than Massachusetts
- In 2005, teen birth rate in Everett was 1.5 times the rate for Massachusetts
- Lung and colon cancer rates are also higher in Everett than in Massachusetts
Health Partnerships and Coalitions
- Everett Health Partnership: The Everett Health Partnership (ECHP) is a group that consists of community and faith based organizations. It also includes health care institutions and local government departments. The mission of ECHP is to improve the health and wellbeing of Everett.
- Five-City Tobacco Control Collaborative: This collaborative is funded by the state. It includes Somerville, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett and Revere. The main purpose is to develop and promote local tobacco control policies.
- Tri-City Community Action Program (TriCAP): Tri-CAP is a coalition from three cities. The cities include Malden, Everett and Medford. Tri-CAP helps advocate for residents on a wide range of issues. These issues range from housing and employment to early childhood services.
