What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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	Hadley	Boylston
People
Population	5,306Highest	4,948Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±7.1Lowest 15% above MA	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA
	Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4%
	Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9%	22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Hadley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hadley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA	$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA
	Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA	$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average
	Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,271Lowest 12% below MA	$7,266Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4% MA: 10%	6.4% MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 33% below MA	27 minHighest 8% below MA
Work from home	20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Boylston and Hadley 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	#116 of 282 in MA	#72 of 282 in MA
School district	Hadley	Berlin-Boylston
High school in town	Hopkins Academy	Tahanto Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.3Lowest	11.1Highest
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.