Compare towns
Plympton vs Acton vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k 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 | Plympton | Acton | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
24,155 |
24,505Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
| Plympton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20k 22% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA |
| Acton and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52k 8% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$468,700±$18kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,706±$72 3% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628 11% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,023Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Middleborough and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Acton-Boxborough | Middleborough |
| High school in town | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.