Compare towns
Millis vs Upton vs Acton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millis has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
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 | Millis | Upton | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,888 |
8,189Lowest |
24,155Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,996±$9k 50% above MA |
$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
| Acton and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
| Acton and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,344 56% above MA |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.2 |
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.