According to Niche, a ranking and review site, Acton is one of the best suburbs to live in the Commonwealth. Using the most up-to-date data available from dozens of public data sources, including the Department of Education, U.S. Census, and FBI, Niche gives our community an overall grade of A+ and ranks Acton #15 in its list of Best Suburbs to Live in Massachusetts based on a variety of factors, as their chart below shows.
Acton scored an A+ for Public Schools and Good for Families; A for Outdoor Activities and Health & Fitness; A- for Diversity; B+ for Jobs and Crime & Safety; B for Housing, Nightlife, and Commute; C+ for Weather; as well as C for Cost of Living.
After reviewing the ratings, Kristen Guichard, the Planning Director and Zoning Enforcement Officer for the Town of Acton, said, “I would add a ‘plus’ for Acton to receive an A+ for outdoor activities. Acton’s significant conservation land and trail networks along with its two regional rail trails, the Acton Arboretum and NARA’s outdoor amphitheater make Acton’s outdoor activities abundant and unique to our region.”
It’s worth noting that Niche’s ratings were made before the Acton Economic Development Committee (EDC) briefed local business owners earlier this week about the 2025 summer concert series and special events at NARA Park. So, all ratings are subject to change from year to year.
Niche’s team, which is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, but has employees throughout the U.S., says, “Acton is a suburb of Boston with a population of 23,864. Acton is in Middlesex County and is one of the best places to live in Massachusetts. Living in Acton offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Acton there are a lot of coffee shops and parks. Many families live in Acton and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Acton are highly rated.”
Digging deeper into Niche’s data, Acton also ranks:
- #13 (A+) for Suburbs with the Best Public Schools in Massachusetts based on state test scores, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality, and student and parent reviews.
- #15 (A+) for Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in Massachusetts based on public schools, crime rates, cost of living, and family-friendly amenities.
- #29 (A-) for Most Diverse Suburbs in Massachusetts based on ethnic and economic diversity statistics by city from the U.S. Census.
- #40 (B) for Best Suburbs to Buy a House in Massachusetts based on home values, property taxes, home ownership rates, housing costs, and real estate trends.
- #51 (B) for Best Suburbs for Young Professionals in Massachusetts based on the number of millennial residents, job opportunities, and access to bars, restaurants, and affordable housing.
Niche includes other interesting data about Acton. For example, 74% of the real estate in town is owned and 26% rented. The median home value in Acton is $696,500, which is more than 2.4 times the national median of $281,900. And the median rent in town is $1,781, which is 1.4 times the national median of $1,268.
Niche also includes data about Acton’s demographics. It’s worth noting that 45% of those living in our community have a master’s degree or higher, which is 3.5 times the national average of 13%. Another 32% of Acton’s residents have a bachelor’s degree, which is 1.5 times the national average of 21%.
It’s also worth noting that only 13% of Acton’s population is 18-34. This explains why Acton ranks #119 for Best Places for Young Professionals in Massachusetts.
Niche also includes 81 reviews of our town, including a recent one from a current resident, who said, “Acton is a great place for families with children. There are 6 elementary schools to choose from and a good middle school and high school. There are lots of small businesses around town to shop at and it is near many other great towns.”
There are other organizations that rate the best places to live and other criteria that can be used to rate Acton. But over 50 million people used Niche in the past year because their website has the most comprehensive data on U.S. schools and neighborhoods. So, it’s good to know that Acton is one of the best suburbs in Massachusetts.
Greg Jarboe is Council on Aging beat reporter for the Acton Exchange and writes on other community events.