Compare towns
Freedom vs Stoneham vs Knox
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (40.7%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
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 | Freedom | Stoneham | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 670 |
271Lowest |
825Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +0.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
60.6±7.1Highest 35% above ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.9%±7.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
41%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Stoneham and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
14.8%±13.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Stoneham and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12kHighest 13% below ME |
$63,750±$27kLowest 15% below ME |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
| Freedom and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
$226,200±$32kHighest 24% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Stoneham and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,125±$383Lowest about the ME average |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Knox and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Highest 23% below ME |
$1,426Lowest 53% below ME |
$1,610 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Stoneham and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
29 minLowest 18% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
40.7%±15.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.