What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oak Bluffs has the most expensive homes ($923k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Oak Bluffs	Boylston
People
Population	5,407Highest	4,948Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest MA: +7.4%	+11.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±6.1Lowest 9% above MA	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA
	Boylston and Oak Bluffs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.5%±7Highest MA: 19.4%	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Oak Bluffs and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±7.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%
	Boylston and Oak Bluffs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	3.6%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Boylston and Oak Bluffs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$145,196±$37kHighest 40% above MA	$140,962±$28kLowest 36% above MA
	Oak Bluffs and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$923,100±$132kHighest 64% above MA	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,099±$666Lowest 38% below MA	$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA
	Boylston and Oak Bluffs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,845Lowest 19% below MA	$7,266Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.6%±34.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	45.1%±16.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Boylston and Oak Bluffs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.2%Lowest MA: 10%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	13 minLowest 54% below MA	27 minHighest 8% below MA
Work from home	8.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#111 of 282 in MA	#72 of 282 in MA
School district	Oak Bluffs · Martha's Vineyard	Berlin-Boylston
High school in town	Martha's Vineyard Regional High	Tahanto Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.5Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.