What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).

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	Newfields
People
Population	4,948Highest	2,023Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 24% above U.S.	44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Newfields and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Newfields 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 75% above U.S.	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kLowest 74% above U.S.	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.
	Newfields and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 44% above U.S.	$1,875±$323Lowest 33% above U.S.
	Boylston and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Lowest 133% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Boylston and Newfields 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%	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Newfields 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	—
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Newfields School District
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

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.