Compare towns
Dover vs Acton vs Wellesley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most homeowners (97.9%).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Wellesley has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Dover | Acton | Wellesley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,930Lowest |
24,155 |
30,347Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
37.1±2.2Lowest 7% below MA |
| Dover and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Wellesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Acton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
89%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
18.3%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$158,230±$14kLowest 52% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117k 138% above MA |
$807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
$1,582,700±$49kHighest 182% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,886±$360 64% above MA |
| Dover and Wellesley 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 | 20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.1%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Acton and Wellesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
32%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Dover 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #6 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Acton-Boxborough | — |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.