Compare towns
Douglas vs Hanson vs Stoneham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
Stoneham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Douglas | Hanson | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
10,660 |
23,355Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
| Douglas and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
| Douglas and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
| Stoneham and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 16% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #177 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Whitman-Hanson | Stoneham |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
14.7Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.