What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has the most people working from home (22.7%).

Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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	Webster
People
Population	4,948Lowest	17,748Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Webster 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%	19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boylston and Webster 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%	25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9%
	Webster 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	$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average	$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA	$1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Highest 21% above MA	$3,999Lowest 33% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±6.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Webster 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%	12.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	59.8%Lowest 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 5% above MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#72 of 282 in MA	#271 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Webster
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Bartlett High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.6Highest
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.