Compare towns
Boylston vs Northborough vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Northborough has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Northborough | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948 |
15,750Highest |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
45±3Lowest 13% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Northborough and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
65.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough 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 36% above MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
$121,336±$12kLowest 17% above MA |
| Northborough and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average |
$620,000±$24kHighest 10% above MA |
$616,600±$55k 10% above MA |
| Northborough and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350 15% above MA |
$1,919±$269Lowest 9% above MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 21% above MA |
$7,983Highest 33% above MA |
$7,116Lowest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Berlin and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #35 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Algonquin Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.