Compare towns
Newfields vs Acton vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfields has the most homeowners (95.3%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k 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 | Newfields | Acton | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,023Lowest |
24,155Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$158,230±$14k 96% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
$807,300±$20kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
$1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Lowest 31% above U.S. |
| Acton and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814Lowest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
35.9%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfields School District | Acton-Boxborough | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.