Compare towns
Boston vs Pelham vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Pelham has the most affordable homes ($448k median).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Boston | Pelham | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
1,335Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Pelham and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.8% MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
$447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,474±$281 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$7,472 25% above MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Milton 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | — | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Pelham | Milton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | None in town | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
— | 12.4Lowest |
| 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.