Compare towns
Boxborough vs Westminster 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 renters (26.6% rent).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($422k 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 | Westminster | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
8,374Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Westminster and Harvard 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% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster 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% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
$1,843±$268 5% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
| Boxborough and Westminster 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 67% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Ashburnham-Westminster | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 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.