The Town FilesBolton, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 5,665 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $796,000
- Household income
- $205,449
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 41.2
Bolton is a town of 5,665 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $796,000, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for families than 99% of Massachusetts towns, more upscale than 98% of Massachusetts towns.
How Bolton ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bolton is worth $796,000, above the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $205,449, which is more affordable than 78% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,583 a month. 94.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bolton | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $796,000 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,583 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $205,449 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 94.7% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bolton
| People | Bolton | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.9% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.3% | — |
| Work from home | 40.5% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 36.8 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Bolton
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 49.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.6 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bolton since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 9, 1953 about 7.7 miles from the town center and killed 90. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 91 deaths and 1,229 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 22, 1988.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Bolton itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Bolton
2 public schools with 1,584 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashoba Regional | 9-12 | 841 | 13.1 |
| Florence Sawyer School | PK-8 | 743 | 13.8 |
Towns near Bolton
- Hudson, MA3.8 mi · 15,749 people · home $473,300
- Berlin, MA4.1 mi · 3,158 people · home $616,600
- Harvard, MA4.5 mi · 6,851 people · home $833,600
- Hudson, MA4.5 mi · 20,092 people · home $496,800
- Clinton, MA4.5 mi · 8,166 people · home $375,600
- Stow, MA4.6 mi · 7,174 people · home $729,600
- Lancaster, MA4.8 mi · 8,441 people · home $519,100
- Clinton, MA4.9 mi · 15,428 people · home $387,300
Bolton questions
Is Bolton, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bolton scores better for retirees than 47% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 60%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Bolton?
The median owner-occupied home in Bolton is valued at $796,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $205,449, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,583 a month.
What is the weather like in Bolton?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.7 inches of precipitation a year and 56.6 inches of snow.
Does Bolton get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bolton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)