Compare towns
Acton vs Danby vs Wells
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 people working from home (35.9%).
Danby has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
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 | Danby | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Highest |
1,133Lowest |
1,148 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8Lowest 14% above U.S. |
52.6±4.8Highest 35% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2 30% above U.S. |
| Danby and Wells 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% |
14.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Danby 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% |
34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Acton and Wells 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. |
$77,321±$13k 4% below U.S. |
$75,417±$11kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$272,400±$41k 18% below U.S. |
$243,000±$42kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$794±$166Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,543 46% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±34.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells 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% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| 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.