Compare towns
Pinehurst vs Boxborough vs Burlington
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 homeowners (97.4%).
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Burlington has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Boxborough | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,845 |
5,496Lowest |
26,274Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2Lowest 7% above MA |
42.7±1.6 7% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Boxborough 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% |
20%±4.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Boxborough and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Pinehurst 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% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $146,250±$27k 41% above MA |
$144,611±$35kLowest 39% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst 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 |
$706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Burlington and Boxborough 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 |
$1,887±$173Lowest 7% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Pinehurst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,316 5% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,165Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32%±58.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Boxborough and Burlington 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% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
30 minHighest 3% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Burlington and Boxborough 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 | — | #31 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Acton-Boxborough | Burlington |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Burlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.3 |
| 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.