Compare towns
Kingston vs Acton vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 46.5).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k 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 | Kingston | Acton | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,027Lowest |
24,155Highest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±3.9Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
| Kingston and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,876±$13k 15% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,600±$30k 9% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,467±$155 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650 28% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Auburn and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.5%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #99 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Kingston · Silver Lake | Acton-Boxborough | Auburn |
| High school in town | Silver Lake Regional High | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.