Compare towns
Boxford vs Plainville vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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 | Boxford | Plainville | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,208 |
17,551Highest |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±3.6Highest 26% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Boxford and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Boxford and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Boxford and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $200,871±$21k 149% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $907,000±$46kHighest 173% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$833,600±$54k 151% above U.S. |
| Boxford and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $776±$13Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Harvard and Plainville 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. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.2%±60.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard and Boxford 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% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Boxford · Masconomet | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Harvard |
| High school in town | Masconomet Regional High School | Plainville High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.4 |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.