Compare towns
Hatfield vs Ayer vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ayer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Boylston has the highest household income ($141k).
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 | Hatfield | Ayer | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
8,645Highest |
4,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the MA average |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Boylston and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Ayer and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5% MA: 47.3% |
42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hatfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25kLowest 14% below MA |
$101,875±$15k about the MA average |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA |
$463,800±$29k 17% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,415±$180 20% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$5,057 16% below MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Ayer 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Ayer Shirley School District | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
11.5Highest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.