Compare towns
Hadley vs Douglas vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Douglas has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Hadley | Douglas | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306 |
9,207Highest |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% 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% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Boylston 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Douglas 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 |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
| Douglas and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% 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 |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Douglas | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Douglas High School | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3 |
7.2Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.