Compare towns
Hingham vs Cambridge vs Acton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hingham has the highest household income ($178k).
Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).
Acton has the most affordable homes ($807k median).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hingham | Cambridge | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,283 |
118,796Highest |
24,155Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
79.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
| Hingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$1,092,100±$42k 94% above MA |
$807,300±$20kLowest 44% above MA |
| Hingham and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,465±$603 40% above MA |
$2,787±$48Highest 58% above MA |
$1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
| Cambridge and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% MA: 10% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #14 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hingham | Cambridge | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Hingham High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9 |
9.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.