Compare towns
Acton vs Standish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Standish has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Standish |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,721Lowest |
10,662Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2Highest 18% above ME |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Standish 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 ME: 22.4% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
36%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kLowest 5% above ME |
$104,593±$15kHighest 40% above ME |
| Standish and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
$336,000±$18kHighest 13% above ME |
| Standish and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $983±$453 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,005Highest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Acton and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 64% above ME |
29 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Acton and Standish 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 | #18 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.