Compare towns
Boxborough vs Jericho vs Williston vs Hamilton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has the highest household income ($145k).
Jericho has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Hamilton has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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.
| Measure | Boxborough | Jericho | Williston | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,496 |
5,114Lowest |
10,144Highest |
7,600 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 10% above U.S. |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
43.5±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Jericho and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
24%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hamilton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hamilton and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hamilton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35kHighest 79% above U.S. |
$116,923±$16k 45% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$129,833±$14k 61% above U.S. |
| Boxborough and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72k 112% above U.S. |
$493,100±$38k 48% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$720,000±$36kHighest 116% above U.S. |
| Hamilton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,731±$111Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,794±$394 27% above U.S. |
| Boxborough and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,318 135% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±23.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hamilton and Williston 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 | #31 of 282 in MA | #6 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | #36 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | None in town | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.