Compare towns
Acton vs Milton vs Roxbury
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 highest household income ($79k).
Milton has the most renters (33.2% rent).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Milton | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,721Highest |
356 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2 36% above U.S. |
56.5±11.3Highest 45% above U.S. |
43.2±17.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Milton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4 U.S.: 22% |
10.1%±13.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±11.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Roxbury and Acton 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% |
13.2%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±10.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Acton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.7%±14.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$48,125±$21kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$69,226±$14k 14% below U.S. |
| Acton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$240,400±$53kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$323,100±$219k about the U.S. average |
| Acton and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,245±$212 12% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$3,517 13% above U.S. |
$5,787Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.1%±34.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acton and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1941Lowest 39 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±14.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton 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 | #116 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.