Compare towns
Boylston vs Bourne vs Northborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
Northborough has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Bourne | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
20,323Highest |
15,750 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45±3Lowest 13% above MA |
| Bourne 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 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northborough and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
| Northborough and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47k about the MA average |
$575,600±$28kLowest about the MA average |
$620,000±$24kHighest 10% above MA |
| Northborough and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
| Boylston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 21% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$7,983Highest 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Northborough 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
9.8Lowest |
10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.