Compare towns
Acton vs Reading 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 people working from home (35.9%).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Reading | Hingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,155Lowest |
25,612Highest |
24,283 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Lowest 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%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14kLowest 52% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
| Hingham and Reading 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 |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
| Hingham and Reading 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 |
$9,320Lowest 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Hingham 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | — | Hingham |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — | Hingham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 12.9Lowest |
| 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.