Acton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, home to about 24,155 people across 20 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 01718 and 01720.
Homes sold for a median of $338 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Acton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Acton’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)24 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Laurence G Hanscom Field (BED)8 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Boston, MA24 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | New York, NY179 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Acton; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Acton had 24,021 residents in the 2020 census, up 18% since 2000.
It’s the 85th largest of 351 towns in Massachusetts by population.
Middlesex County grew from 565,696 residents in 1900 to 1,632,002 in 2020.
Middlesex County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 15°F. About 49.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Maynard 2, MA weather station (3 miles away).
963,417 jobs at 44,624 businesses in Middlesex County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
425 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Acton’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 38 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 18 |
| Dentists | 24 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 40 |
| Mental health providers | 214 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 74 |
| Optometrists | 7 |
| Chiropractors | 10 |
| Pharmacies | 7 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (22 nearby)
Grocery stores (8 nearby)
Pharmacies (4 nearby)
Libraries (7 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (5 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1639.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Acton-Boxborough. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carol Huebner Early Childhood ProgramActon | Pre-K | 116 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| C.T. Douglas Elementary SchoolActon | K–6 | 408 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Luther Conant SchoolActon | K–6 | 410 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| McCarthy-Towne SchoolActon | K–6 | 431 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| Merriam SchoolActon | K–6 | 395 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| Paul P Gates Elementary SchoolActon | K–6 | 380 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Raymond J Grey Junior HighActon | 7–8 | 824 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Acton-Boxborough Regional HighActon | 9–12 | 1,622 | Public | 0.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.