Compare towns
Boylston vs Reading vs Rowley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Rowley has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
25,612Highest |
6,251 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Rowley 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%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Rowley 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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 |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above 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±$47kLowest about the MA average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,603±$520Lowest 9% 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 | $7,266Lowest 21% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Boylston 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest 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 | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Reading | Triton |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| 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.