Compare towns
Acton vs Bow vs Brookline
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 affordable homes ($334k median).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Bow | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,721Lowest |
8,335Highest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2Highest 36% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34kLowest about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #43 of 133 in ME | #26 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | Bow School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.