Compare towns
Acton vs Middlefield
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 kids (23.2% under 18).
Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k 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 | Middlefield |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 24,155Highest |
352Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±8.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Middlefield 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 |
$103,750±$23kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
| Middlefield 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 67% above MA |
$4,926Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield 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 MA: 10% |
12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | — |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.