Compare towns
Hadley vs Acton vs Maynard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Maynard has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
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 | Hadley | Acton | Maynard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306Lowest |
24,155Highest |
10,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
| Hadley and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
| Acton and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,266 38% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Acton and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #116 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Acton-Boxborough | Maynard |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Maynard High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
9.7 |
| 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.