Compare towns
Hatfield vs Brookfield 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).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
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 | Hatfield | Brookfield | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
3,460 |
4,948Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5Lowest 17% above MA |
52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
| Brookfield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Boylston and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Hatfield 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% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216 28% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Brookfield and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Hatfield 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Brookfield | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | None in town | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
— | 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.