Compare towns
Boylston vs Needham vs Ogunquit 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 most affordable homes ($579k median).
Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Berlin has the most renters (22.7% rent).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,948 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
3,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 24% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
49.7±2.8 28% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.1%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Berlin 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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±$28k 75% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$121,336±$12k 50% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47kLowest 74% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$616,600±$55k 85% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183 70% above U.S. |
— | $2,420±$933Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 133% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$7,116 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±19.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 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 |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | — | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | — | — | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — | — |
| 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.