Compare towns
Lenox vs Upton vs Acton vs Provincetown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lenox has the most affordable homes ($467k median).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Provincetown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+24.5%).
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 | Lenox | Upton | Acton | Provincetown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,079 |
8,189 |
24,155Highest |
3,703Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+24.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
56.3±2.6 41% above MA |
| Lenox and Provincetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
9.6%±6.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Provincetown and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $106,080±$31kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$136,904±$44k 32% above 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 | $466,700±$43kLowest 17% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
$902,200±$180kHighest 61% above MA |
| Provincetown and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,091±$238 38% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,261±$415 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,299 12% below MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,927Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.2%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Provincetown and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
76.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 22% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
13 minLowest 55% below MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±8.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±9.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Provincetown 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 | #90 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #254 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lenox | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough | Provincetown |
| High school in town | Lenox Memorial High | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.