What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).

West Boylston has the most people working from home (17.7%).

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	Hanson	West Boylston
People
Population	10,660Highest	7,782Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA	45.5±2.7Highest 14% above MA
	West Boylston and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4%	16.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hanson and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	25.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	West Boylston and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	41.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	2.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanson and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA	$104,551±$12kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA	$440,000±$24kLowest 22% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA	$1,261±$154Lowest 28% below MA
	Hanson and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Highest 7% above MA	$6,115Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8%	29.9%±12.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanson and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%	6.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest MA: 62.5%	77.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	25 minLowest 14% below MA
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	17.7%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#149 of 282 in MA	#97 of 282 in MA
School district	Whitman-Hanson	West Boylston
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	West Boylston Junior/Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	10.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.