Compare towns
Boylston vs Epping vs Hadley vs Berlin
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).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Epping | Hadley | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,948 |
7,430Highest |
5,306 |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 24% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1 18% above U.S. |
49.7±2.8Highest 28% above 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% |
18.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epping and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.1%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Hadley 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% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hadley and Epping 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. |
$104,220±$7kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
$121,336±$12k 50% above 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. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
$616,600±$55kHighest 85% above 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. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,420±$933Highest 71% above 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. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$5,271Lowest 69% above U.S. |
$7,116 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±19.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berlin and Epping 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #116 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Epping School District | Hadley | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Epping High School | Hopkins Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
9.3 |
7.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.