Compare towns
Boylston vs Worcester vs Berlin
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 highest household income ($141k).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
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 | Worcester | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948 |
207,055Highest |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Berlin and Boylston 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin 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% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
| Boylston and Berlin 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 |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$616,600±$55kHighest 10% above MA |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350 15% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266Highest 21% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$7,116 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
34 minHighest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | South High Community | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.