What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has the most expensive homes ($579k median).

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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	Plainville
People
Population	4,948Lowest	17,551Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 24% above U.S.	44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Boylston and Plainville 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%	20.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Boylston and Plainville 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 U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville 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 75% above U.S.	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kHighest 74% above U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 44% above U.S.	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 133% above U.S.	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Boylston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#72 of 282 in MA	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.4Highest
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.