Acton vs Concord
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
On schools these two are genuinely close — same tier and within five MCAS percentiles of each other — so the schools should not decide it. Price and commute should.
Concord is about 7 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Acton works out roughly $10,800 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR — despite having the higher rate of the two, because the bill follows the house.
Choose Acton if you want the lower price.
All Acton numbers →Choose Concord if the commute matters most.
All Concord numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsConcord ahead on 3 of 9, 1 against
| Acton | Concord | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS achievement | 92nd | 95th |
| Student growth | 60th | 52nd |
| Graduation rate | 94.4% | 96.8% |
| SchoolDigger rank | 40th of 361 | 21st of 361 |
| State accountability | Meeting or exceeding targets | Substantial progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $22,300 | $30,708 |
| Schools in the district | 8 | 4 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 20 | 27 |
What a home costsActon ahead on 6 of 8
| Acton | Concord | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $1.1MT3 | $2.2MT4 |
| 3BR townhouse | $800k | $1.4M |
| 2BR condo | $590k | $1.03M |
| 3BR home | $807k | $1.18M |
| 5+ BR home | $1.25M | $2.41M |
| 3BR rent | $3,517/mo | $3,673/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $310k | $587k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.2% a year | 5.1% a year |
What you pay the townEven, 1 each of 4
| Acton | Concord | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $16.23T4 | $13.05T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$17,900 | ≈$28,700 |
| Town spending per resident | $5,115 | $7,437 |
| Share of budget on schools | 67% | 54% |
Getting to workConcord ahead on 6 of 8
| Acton | Concord | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 54 minT3 | 47 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~58 min to terminal | Commuter rail · ~49 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 21 mi | 17 mi |
| Rail to Downtown | 58 min | 49 min |
| Rail to Back Bay | 68 min | 59 min |
| Rail to Kendall Sq | 53 min | 54 min |
| Rail to the Seaport | 64 min | 55 min |
| Rail to Longwood | 81 min | 72 min |
Before kindergartenActon ahead on 3 of 4
| Acton | Concord | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 18 | 13 |
| Child care places | 1,007 | 758 |
| Centers vs family programs | 12 centers | 12 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 256 | 88 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Acton | Concord | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,021 | 18,491 |
| Energy | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Family amenities | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Culture | 7/10 | 10/10 |
| Gathering places | 7/10 | 9/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
