Compare towns
Boxborough vs Needham vs Acton vs Hamilton
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 renters (26.6% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Hamilton has the most homeowners (84.7%).
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 | Needham | Acton | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
32,459Highest |
24,155 |
7,600 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
43.5±2.1 9% above MA |
| Acton and Hamilton 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Hamilton 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% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hamilton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
79.5% MA: 47.3% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hamilton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$129,833±$14kLowest 25% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72kLowest 26% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$720,000±$36k 28% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173 7% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$1,794±$394Lowest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$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%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hamilton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
84.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Needham 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 | #31 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | — | Acton-Boxborough | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5Highest |
11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.