Compare towns
Williamsburg vs Ware vs Hatfield vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Williamsburg has the most people working from home (26.5%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Williamsburg | Ware | Hatfield | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,694Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,325 |
4,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±2.4Highest 25% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
46.8±5 17% above MA |
48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
| Williamsburg and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hatfield and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
48.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Williamsburg and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,792±$21k about the MA average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$89,005±$25k 14% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $403,100±$37k 28% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$440,800±$26k 22% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$228 19% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,267±$216 28% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,761 4% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,930 18% below MA |
$7,266Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61%±28 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Williamsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6% MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 13% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Williamsburg 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #198 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Williamsburg | Ware | Hatfield | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Smith Academy | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
6.1Lowest |
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.