What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Northampton has the most renters (42.7% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boylston	Northampton
People
Population	4,948Lowest	30,962Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%	16%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boylston and Northampton 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%	20.4%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boylston and Northampton 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%	62.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA	$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average	$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA	$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 21% above MA	$5,680Lowest 5% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.6%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Northampton and Boylston 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%	13.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 8% below MA	21 minLowest 26% below MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.1%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Northampton 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	#159 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Northampton High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	14.7Highest
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.