Compare towns
Barnstable Town vs Acton vs Mashpee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstable Town has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Mashpee has the oldest population (median age 55.9).
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 | Barnstable Town | Acton | Mashpee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 49,568Highest |
24,155 |
15,384Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.2% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±1.9 23% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
55.9±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.1%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Barnstable Town and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,982±$6kLowest 12% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$95,299±$13k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $602,500±$14k 7% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$562,200±$29kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$127 9% above MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,776±$330Lowest about the MA average |
| Acton and Barnstable Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,762Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±14.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Barnstable Town and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #189 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #100 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Barnstable | Acton-Boxborough | Mashpee |
| High school in town | Barnstable High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Mashpee Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
13.5Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.