Compare towns
Acton vs Boston vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Milton has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Acton | Boston | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Lowest |
666,442Highest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Acton and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
| Boston and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$9,677 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boston and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Milton 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 | #13 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Milton |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Boston Latin School | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
18.7Highest |
12.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.