Compare towns
Boylston vs Dover vs Hadley
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Dover | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
33,364Highest |
5,306 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 24% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.8±7.1 18% above U.S. |
| Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest 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%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hadley 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hadley and Dover 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. |
$119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
| Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
| Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Boylston and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 133% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,271Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest 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% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Boylston and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Dover School District | Hadley |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Dover Senior High School | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
12.7Highest |
7.3Lowest |
| 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.