Compare towns
Concord vs Boston vs Marblehead 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).
Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).
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 | Marblehead | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,223Lowest |
666,442Highest |
20,413 |
24,155 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.6±2 19% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
| Marblehead and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 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% |
22.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Concord and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.4% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% 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% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
| Concord and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,210,000±$72kHighest 115% above MA |
$731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$8,309 39% above 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% |
49.5%±8.8 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% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1944Lowest 20 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 |
33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6 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 | #47 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 | Marblehead | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Concord Carlisle High | Boston Latin School | Marblehead High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
18.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
13.5 |
| 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.