Acton-Boxborough vs Chelmsford Schools
How the two districts, about 10 miles apart, compare on test scores, high school results, classrooms, spending and housing.
The short answer
- Overall: Acton-Boxborough ranks higher, #56 to Chelmsford's #83 of 328 Massachusetts districts.
- MCAS 2026: Acton-Boxborough students score higher: ELA 67% vs 55%, Math 70% vs 56% met expectations. Statewide: 41% and 41%.
- SAT: Acton-Boxborough averages 145 points higher (1334 vs 1189).
- Spending: Acton-Boxborough spends $3,659 more per student ($22,300 vs $18,641).
- Homes: Homes cost more in Acton-Boxborough: single-family homes average $936K vs $695K. The average tax bill is $14,796 in Acton-Boxborough and $9,219 in Chelmsford.
MCAS results, 2026
Share of students meeting or exceeding expectations, all tested grades combined. Both districts test grades 3–10; "State" is the statewide figure for the same grades.
| Year | Acton-Boxborough | Chelmsford | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 67% | 55% | 41% |
| 2025 | 69% | 59% | 43% |
| 2024 | 67% | 56% | 42% |
| 2023 | 70% | 57% | 45% |
| 2022 | 69% | 58% | 44% |
| 2021 | 72% | 64% | 49% |
| Year | Acton-Boxborough | Chelmsford | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 70% | 56% | 41% |
| 2025 | 71% | 52% | 41% |
| 2024 | 71% | 57% | 42% |
| 2023 | 71% | 53% | 42% |
| 2022 | 72% | 53% | 41% |
| 2021 | 69% | 46% | 36% |
No test in 2020. Statewide 10th-grade results dropped after 2024, when passing the MCAS stopped being a graduation requirement.
High school results
Averages of each district's ranked high schools. "MA avg" is the average of all districts with high school data.
Classrooms, teachers & spending
Spending is total per-pupil expenditure from all sources in FY2024. Class size is the average across all classes in the district.
Students
| Acton-Boxborough | Chelmsford | |
|---|---|---|
| Students in classes | 5,105 | 5,151 |
| English learners | 7% | 5.1% |
| Students with disabilities | 16.9% | 20.3% |
| White | 49% | 62% |
| Asian | 31.9% | 19.2% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| Black/African American | 3.3% | 4.4% |
| Multi-race | 6.2% | 4.5% |
Homes & taxes
What could you afford in either town?
FY2026 averages for single-family homes from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; for a district with several towns, the comparison uses the average of its towns. Assessed values usually run below recent sale prices.