Compare towns
Acton vs Dover vs Reading vs Belmont
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%).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Belmont has the most renters (35.3% rent).
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 | Dover | Reading | Belmont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,155 |
5,930Lowest |
25,612 |
27,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.9±1Lowest 7% above MA |
| Dover and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Belmont 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5% MA: 47.3% |
84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14kLowest 52% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$183,137±$14k 76% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$1,159,000±$33k 106% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,527±$105 43% above MA |
| Dover and Belmont 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320Lowest 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
45.6%±6.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Acton and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
64.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Dover 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #3 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Reading | Belmont |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Reading Memorial High | Belmont High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
9.8Lowest |
12.1 |
15.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.