Compare towns
Concord vs Milton 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).
Milton 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 | Milton | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,223Lowest |
28,587Highest |
24,155 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.6±2Highest 19% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.6%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Concord 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% |
16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.4% MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$188,529±$15k 81% above MA |
$158,230±$14kLowest 52% above MA |
| Concord and Milton 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 |
$933,200±$31k 66% above MA |
$807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,631±$166Highest 49% above MA |
$1,474±$281Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,677Lowest 61% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Concord and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9Lowest 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Milton | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Concord Carlisle High | Milton High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.4 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.