Compare towns
Canton vs Hanson vs Middleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).
Hanson has the most affordable homes ($534k median).
Middleton has the highest household income ($167k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Canton | Hanson | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Highest |
10,660 |
9,816Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
43.1±2Highest 8% above MA |
| Middleton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Canton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$132,200±$10kLowest 27% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
| Middleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
| Middleton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA |
| Canton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560 9% above MA |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Whitman-Hanson | Middleton |
| High school in town | Canton High | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.