Compare towns
Acton vs Gardner vs Boxborough
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%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Gardner | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Highest |
21,148 |
5,496Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
| Acton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Boxborough 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% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Acton 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% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Acton 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 52% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
| Acton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,887±$173 7% above MA |
| Acton and Boxborough 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 |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Boxborough and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Gardner | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
13.5 |
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| 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.