Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Acton vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pinehurst has the most affordable homes ($624k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
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 | Pinehurst | Acton | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845Lowest |
24,155Highest |
9,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
| Acton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Pinehurst and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pinehurst and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27kLowest 41% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $623,800±$22kLowest 11% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
| Acton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,946±$1k 10% above MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Acton and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316Lowest 5% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,785 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Acton and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Acton-Boxborough | Middleton |
| High school in town | — | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.