Compare towns
Rowe vs Acton vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowe has the most affordable homes ($275k median).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Hancock has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Rowe | Acton | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453Lowest |
24,155Highest |
752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Highest 22% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
47.1±11.1 18% above MA |
| Rowe and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±8.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$96,250±$26k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41kLowest 51% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$375,500±$21k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576 25% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,268±$415Lowest 28% below MA |
| Acton and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,458 76% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±36.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hancock and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rowe | Acton-Boxborough | Hancock |
| High school in town | None 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.