Compare towns
Hatfield vs Ripton vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Boylston has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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.
| Measure | Hatfield | Ripton | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325 |
508Lowest |
4,948Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5Lowest 20% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
48.2±2.3Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Boylston and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,005±$25kLowest 10% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$140,962±$28kHighest 75% above U.S. |
| Boylston and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $440,800±$26k 32% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$578,600±$47kHighest 74% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Lowest 10% below U.S. |
— | $2,032±$350Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930 58% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$7,266Highest 133% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Boylston and Ripton 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 | — | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | 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 |
U.S. 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.