Compare towns
Boylston vs Reading vs Clinton
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).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Clinton has the most affordable homes ($387k 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.
| Measure | Boylston | Reading | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
25,612Highest |
15,563 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
| Boylston and Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Boylston 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton 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±$28k 36% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$89,781±$10kLowest 14% below MA |
| Reading 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±$47k about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$387,300±$19kLowest 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,402±$76Lowest 20% below MA |
| Boylston and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$4,654Lowest 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Boylston and Clinton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | — | Clinton |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | — | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.