What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).

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	Harvard
People
Population	4,948Lowest	6,927Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	44.1±4.7Lowest 10% above MA
	Boylston and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%
	Harvard and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boylston and Harvard 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%	62%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Harvard 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±$28kLowest 36% above MA	$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average	$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA	$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA
	Boylston and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Lowest 21% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8%
	Harvard and Boylston 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%	4.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	32 minHighest 9% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#72 of 282 in MA	#12 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Harvard
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	The Bromfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	11.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	12 photos →

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.