Compare towns
Concord vs Boston vs Acton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Concord has the most expensive homes ($1210k median).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Concord | Boston | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,223Lowest |
666,442Highest |
24,155 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.6±2Highest 19% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Concord and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.4% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
$731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Concord and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Concord and Acton 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 | #10 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Concord Carlisle High | Boston Latin School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
18.7Highest |
13.5 |
| 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.