Compare towns
Florida vs Acton vs Rowe vs Middlefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Florida has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Rowe has the oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
Middlefield has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Florida | Acton | Rowe | Middlefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 668 |
24,155Highest |
453 |
352Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±4.4 40% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
| Middlefield and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23%±5 MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.2%±8.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.2% MA: 47.3% |
31.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,875±$17k 16% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$103,750±$23k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $246,800±$19kLowest 56% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$275,000±$41k 51% below MA |
$332,800±$48k 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$1,313±$576 25% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
| Middlefield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,894 68% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$4,926 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
12.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8% MA: 62.5% |
94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
36 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 6.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Florida | Acton-Boxborough | Rowe | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.