What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boylston	Hadley
People
Population	4,948Lowest	5,306Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	45.8±7.1Lowest 15% above MA
	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 MA: 19.4%	16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	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%Lowest MA: 47.3%	61.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Hadley 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 36% above MA	$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA
	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 about the MA average	$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA
	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 15% above MA	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 21% above MA	$5,271Lowest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4% MA: 10%	6.4% MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 8% below MA	20 minLowest 33% below MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%
	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	#116 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Hadley
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Hopkins Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	7.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.