Compare towns
Hull vs Acton vs Cohasset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hull has the oldest population (median age 56.1).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k median).
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 | Hull | Acton | Cohasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,138 |
24,155Highest |
8,427Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
43.9±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA |
| Cohasset and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187 18% above MA |
$1,986±$155Lowest 13% above MA |
$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089Lowest about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±15.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Hull and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 14% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #41 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Acton-Boxborough | Cohasset |
| High school in town | Hull High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Cohasset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
9.0 |
| 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.