Compare towns
Boylston vs Berlin vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has the highest household income ($141k).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Boylston | Berlin | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948 |
3,378Lowest |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 24% above U.S. |
49.7±2.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.1%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28kHighest 75% above U.S. |
$121,336±$12k 50% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Boylston and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47k 74% above U.S. |
$616,600±$55kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350 44% above U.S. |
$2,420±$933Highest 71% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266Highest 133% above U.S. |
$7,116 128% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±19.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berlin and Boylston 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 | #72 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Berlin-Boylston | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.