Compare towns
Mapleton vs Windham vs Acton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Windham | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Lowest |
16,038 |
24,155Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Acton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mapleton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14k 96% above U.S. |
| Windham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,986±$155 41% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 120 in NH | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Windham School District | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.