Compare towns
Boxborough vs Belmont vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has the most affordable homes ($707k median).
Belmont has the most expensive homes ($1159k median).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Boxborough | Belmont | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
27,175Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
42.9±1 7% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Belmont and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Belmont and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6% MA: 47.3% |
80.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35kLowest 39% above MA |
$183,137±$14k 76% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72kLowest 26% above MA |
$1,159,000±$33kHighest 106% above MA |
$833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173 7% above MA |
$2,527±$105Highest 43% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±6.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
64.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 282 in MA | #3 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Belmont | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Belmont High | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.8Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 29 photos → |
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.