Compare towns
Acton vs Gray 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).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (26 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 | Gray | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Highest |
8,429Lowest |
19,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Acton and Gray 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% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Acton and Windham 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% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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 96% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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% |
3.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
| 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.