Compare towns
Boxford vs Topsfield vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxford has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Topsfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Topsfield | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,208Highest |
2,624Lowest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA |
42.4±10.9Lowest 6% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Boxford and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Boxford and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Boxford 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 MA: 47.3% |
66.8% MA: 47.3% |
62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Boxford and Harvard 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 93% above MA |
$191,146±$21kLowest 84% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| 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 61% above MA |
$836,600±$60k 49% above MA |
$833,600±$54kLowest 48% above MA |
| Boxford and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
$994±$841 44% below MA |
$1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
| Harvard and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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 | 67.2%±60.6 MA: 51.8% |
42.4%±47.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #34 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Boxford · Masconomet | — | Harvard |
| High school in town | Masconomet Regional High School | — | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.