Compare towns
Berlin vs Bourne vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
Boylston has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Berlin | Bourne | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,378Lowest |
20,323Highest |
4,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±2.8 24% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
48.2±2.3Lowest 21% above MA |
| Bourne and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Boylston and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3% MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
$578,600±$47k about the MA average |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$2,032±$350 15% above MA |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116 19% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 17% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin and Boylston 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.