Compare towns
Andover vs Gray vs Acton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the highest household income ($173k).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Andover | Gray | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 36,652Highest |
8,429Lowest |
24,155 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Acton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Andover and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gray and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14k 96% above U.S. |
| Andover and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20k 143% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,986±$155 41% above U.S. |
| Andover and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.4%±2.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Acton and Andover 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 | #68 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
12.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.