Compare towns
Hatfield vs Salem 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).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,325Lowest |
44,795Highest |
4,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±5 17% above MA |
39.3±1.5Lowest 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% |
15.7%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Boylston and Salem 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest 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% |
47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Salem 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 |
$85,153±$5kLowest 18% 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±$26kLowest 22% below MA |
$542,800±$18k 3% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Boylston and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$1,836±$84 4% above MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$6,114 about the MA average |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem 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% |
12.1%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% MA: 62.5% |
49.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 30% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Salem 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 | #248 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hatfield | Salem | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Smith Academy | Salem High | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.1Lowest |
9.8 |
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.