What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Northfield has the most affordable homes ($376k median).

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	Northfield
People
Population	4,948Highest	2,872Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	-5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Lowest 21% above MA	48.9±4.2Highest 22% above MA
	Northfield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%	14.8%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boylston and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Northfield 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 MA: 47.3%	42.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Northfield 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±$28kHighest 36% above MA	$103,375±$10kLowest about the MA average
	Boylston and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average	$375,800±$31kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA	$1,142±$200Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 21% above MA	$4,594Lowest 23% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.2%±25.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Northfield 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%	6.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	31 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	16.5%±10.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston and Northfield 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	#231 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Pioneer Valley
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Pioneer Valley Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	10.7Lowest
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.