Compare towns
Gill vs Acton vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gill has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Northfield has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
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 | Gill | Acton | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,740Lowest |
24,155Highest |
2,872 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
48.9±4.2Highest 22% above MA |
| Northfield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±8.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Northfield and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,208±$14kLowest 13% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$103,375±$10k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$17kLowest 39% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$375,800±$31k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$246 32% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,142±$200Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,318Lowest 28% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,594 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.2%±25.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Northfield 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% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.5%±10.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | #231 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gill-Montague | Acton-Boxborough | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Pioneer Valley Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.