Compare towns
Gill vs Acton vs Sheffield
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 most affordable homes ($340k median).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Sheffield has the oldest population (median age 48.2).
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 | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,740Lowest |
24,155Highest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
48.2±8Highest 21% above MA |
| Sheffield 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% |
13.3%±4Lowest 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% |
23.2%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sheffield 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% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±4.5Lowest 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 |
$92,120±$31k 11% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$17kLowest 39% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$409,400±$32k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$246Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,837±$1k 4% above MA |
| Acton and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,318Lowest 28% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,520 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill 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% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 29% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±8 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gill-Montague | Acton-Boxborough | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| 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.