Compare towns
Hatfield vs Pelham vs Ware 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).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Pelham | Ware | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,325 |
1,335Lowest |
10,048Highest |
4,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
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% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Ware 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% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Hatfield and Ware 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 |
$113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston and Pelham 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 |
$447,600±$33k 20% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216 28% below MA |
$1,205±$560 32% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930 18% below MA |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,266 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% MA: 62.5% |
79.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Boylston 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Pelham | Ware | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.