Compare towns
Acton vs Saugus
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%).
Saugus has the most affordable homes ($603k 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 | Saugus |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 24,155Lowest |
28,773Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus 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 |
$101,539±$3kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$603,400±$13kLowest 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
| Saugus 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 |
$6,049Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Saugus 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% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older 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% |
14.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 282 in MA | #194 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.