Compare towns
Acton vs Harvard vs Hingham
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 renters (25.1% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Hingham has the most expensive homes ($1134k 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 | Harvard | Hingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155 |
6,927Lowest |
24,283Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
44.1±4.7Lowest 10% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Acton 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% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
62%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Harvard 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$178,390±$15k 72% above MA |
| Harvard and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
$833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
| Hingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Hingham 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% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Acton 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 | #12 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Harvard | Hingham |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | The Bromfield High School | Hingham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.0Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.