Compare towns
Attleboro vs Acton vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Attleboro has the most renters (33.8% rent).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
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 | Attleboro | Acton | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 46,762Highest |
24,155Lowest |
40,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±1.4Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
39.9±1.8 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.1%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westfield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
33.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,954±$6k 5% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$87,753±$6kLowest 16% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,100±$13k 20% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$325,100±$11kLowest 42% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,590±$83 10% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,366 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,746Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±5.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Attleboro and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #185 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Attleboro | Acton-Boxborough | Westfield |
| High school in town | Attleboro High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
13.5 |
11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.