Compare towns
Acton vs Everett vs Exeter
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%).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 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 | Everett | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155 |
50,045Highest |
16,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Everett and Exeter 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. |
$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23k 83% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155 41% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Everett 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 221% above U.S. |
$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Everett 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% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 31% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Everett | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Everett High | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.