Compare towns
Acton vs Brookline vs Hingham
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 affordable homes ($807k median).
Brookline has the most renters (53.1% rent).
Hingham has the highest household income ($178k).
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 | Brookline | Hingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Lowest |
63,266Highest |
24,283 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5% MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$142,101±$8kLowest 37% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
| Hingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
| Brookline and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,465±$603 40% above MA |
| Brookline and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham 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% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9% MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Hingham 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 | #22 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Brookline | Hingham |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Brookline High | Hingham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.9 |
| 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.