What stands out worked out from the figures below

Acton has the most affordable homes ($334k median).

Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Acton	Brookline
People
Population	2,721Lowest	5,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52.9±4.2Highest 36% above U.S.	41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookline and Acton 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	$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$334,300±$34kLowest about the U.S. average	$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,500±$1k 77% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,680Lowest 14% below U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Acton and Brookline 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%	0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	95.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S.	1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	40 minHighest 53% above U.S.	33 minLowest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	18.2%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brookline 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	#43 of 133 in ME	#23 of 120 in NH
School district	Acton Public Schools	Brookline School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.