Compare towns
Acton vs Brookline vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the most expensive homes ($807k median).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Highest |
531Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Brookline 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Acton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232Lowest 23% above U.S. |
— |
| Acton and Brookline 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 221% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | — | — |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.