What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hatfield 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	Hatfield
People
Population	4,948Highest	3,325Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	46.8±5Lowest 17% above MA
	Boylston and Hatfield 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%	14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boylston and Hatfield 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%	23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9%
	Hatfield 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Hatfield 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	$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA
	Boylston and Hatfield 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	$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA	$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 21% above MA	$4,930Lowest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%	42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 8% below MA	20 minLowest 30% below MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston and Hatfield 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	#198 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Hatfield
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Smith Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	6.1Lowest
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.