Compare towns
Greenfield vs Acton vs Clinton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Greenfield has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Clinton has the youngest population (median age 38.6).
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 | Greenfield | Acton | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,664 |
24,155Highest |
15,563Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.1Highest 12% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
| Greenfield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,614±$7kLowest 47% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,100±$16kLowest 53% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,107±$67Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,769 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,654Lowest 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.2%±7.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Greenfield and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 40% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #257 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Greenfield | Acton-Boxborough | Clinton |
| High school in town | Greenfield High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.8 |
| 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.