Compare towns
Boxborough vs Concord vs Cohasset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has the most affordable homes ($707k median).
Concord has the most people working from home (36.1%).
Cohasset has the most kids (27.2% 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 | Boxborough | Concord | Cohasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
18,223Highest |
8,427 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
47.6±2Highest 19% above MA |
43.9±4.4 10% above MA |
| Concord and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
79.4% MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35kLowest 39% above MA |
$195,350±$22k 88% above MA |
$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA |
| Cohasset and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72kLowest 26% above MA |
$1,210,000±$72k 115% above MA |
$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
| Cohasset and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Lowest 7% above MA |
$2,631±$166 49% above MA |
$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
| Cohasset and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±15.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Boxborough and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 282 in MA | #10 of 282 in MA | #41 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Cohasset |
| High school in town | None in town | Concord Carlisle High | Cohasset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.