What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bourne	Boylston
People
Population	20,323Highest	4,948Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	52±1.8Highest 30% above MA	48.2±2.3Lowest 21% above MA
	Bourne and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.7%±2.3Lowest 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+	29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9%	22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Lowest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Bourne and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average	$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average
	Boylston and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,485Lowest 25% below MA	$7,266Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Bourne and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest MA: 10%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% below MA	27 minHighest 8% below MA
Work from home	14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston and Bourne 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	#206 of 282 in MA	#72 of 282 in MA
School district	Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical	Berlin-Boylston
High school 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

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.