Compare towns
Marblehead vs Middleton vs Acton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Acton has the most renters (25.1% rent).
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 | Marblehead | Middleton | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,413 |
9,816Lowest |
24,155Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 78.3% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$158,230±$14kLowest 52% above MA |
| Marblehead and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $943,900±$31kHighest 68% above MA |
$742,700±$48kLowest 32% above MA |
$807,300±$20k 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,764±$147 about the MA average |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
| Acton and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 34%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Acton and Marblehead 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marblehead | Middleton | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Marblehead High | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.