Compare towns
Acton vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Somerville has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
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 | Somerville |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,721Highest |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2Highest 18% above ME |
33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Acton and Somerville 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 5% above ME |
$71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
| Acton and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,583±$265 39% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Highest 12% below ME |
$2,505Lowest 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Acton and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 64% above ME |
27 minLowest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #43 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.