Compare towns
Boylston vs Hermon 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).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Hermon | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948 |
6,727Highest |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 24% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% 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% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Boylston 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% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.1%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hermon and Berlin 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. |
$96,629±$22kLowest 20% 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. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$1,406±$202Lowest 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. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$7,116 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±19.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1992 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berlin and Boylston 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Hermon Public Schools | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
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| 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.

