Compare towns
Hull vs Upton vs Acton vs Harwich
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 housing (typical home built 1946).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Harwich has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Upton | Acton | Harwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,138 |
8,189Lowest |
24,155Highest |
13,598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.1±1.8 40% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
58.6±1.5Highest 47% above MA |
| Harwich and Hull are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.7%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.8%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest 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±$14k 11% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$96,966±$13kLowest 7% below MA |
| Acton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,000±$38k 15% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$658,600±$26k 17% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,081±$187Highest 18% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155 13% above MA |
$2,017±$738 14% above MA |
| Hull and Harwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,089 about the MA average |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,189Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harwich and Hull 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 14% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
25 minLowest 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #157 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hull | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough | Monomoy Regional School District · Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Hull High | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Monomoy Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
11.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.