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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Acton, MA
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Acton profile


Living in Acton



Acton is a medium-sized town located in the state of Massachusetts. With a population of 23,829 people and six associated neighborhoods, Acton is the 85th largest community in Massachusetts.

Housing costs in Acton are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Massachusetts.

Also of interest is that Acton has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.

And if you like science, one thing you'll find is that Acton has lots of scientists living in town - whether they be life scientists, physical scientists (like astronomers), or social scientists (like geographers!). So, if you're scientific-minded, you might like it here too.

Of important note, Acton is also a town of artists. Acton has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Acton’s character.

A relatively large number of people in Acton telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 30.54% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Acton is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Acton’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

One downside of living in Acton is that it can take a long time to commute to work. In Acton, the average commute to work is 33.89 minutes, which is quite a bit higher than the national average.

Do you like to read, write and learn? If you move to Acton, you'll likely find that many of your neighbors like to as well. Acton is one of the more educated communities in America, with a full 77.00% of its adults having a college degree or even advanced degree, compared to a national average across all communities of 21.84%.

The per capita income in Acton in 2018 was $73,627, which is wealthy relative to Massachusetts and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $294,508 for a family of four.

Acton is an extremely ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Acton home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Acton residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Acton include Irish, English, German, Italian, and French.

Foreign born people are also an important part of Acton's cultural character, accounting for 28.35% of the town’s population.

The most common language spoken in Acton is English. Other important languages spoken here include Chinese and Langs. of India.