What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has the most homeowners (79.2%).

Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).

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	Boylston	Dover
People
Population	4,948Lowest	33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 24% above U.S.	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Boylston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Boylston and Dover 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%	52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dover and Boylston 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.	$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kHighest 74% above U.S.	$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 44% above U.S.	$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Boylston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Lowest 133% above U.S.	$8,249Highest 164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Dover and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Boylston and Dover 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	#64 of 120 in NH
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Dover School District
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	12.7Highest
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.