What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boxford has the highest household income ($201k).

Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).

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	Boxford	Hampton
People
Population	8,208Lowest	16,426Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±3.6Lowest 26% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	23.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Boxford and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$200,871±$21kHighest 149% above U.S.	$95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$907,000±$46kHighest 173% above U.S.	$550,200±$39kLowest 65% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$776±$13Lowest 45% below U.S.	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$6,813Lowest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.2%±60.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Boxford and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 18% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampton and Boxford 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	#34 of 282 in MA	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Boxford · Masconomet	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Masconomet Regional High School	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.