What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).

Lancaster has the highest household income ($135k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Freedom	Lancaster
People
Population	1,494Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	60.6±3.2Highest 56% above U.S.	43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S.
Kids under 18	12.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lancaster and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	40.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lancaster and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,136±$14kLowest 18% below U.S.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$389,000±$43kLowest 17% above U.S.	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,338±$539 65% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,478Lowest 12% above U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	79.6%±75Highest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freedom and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	18.5%±7.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Lancaster and Freedom 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	—	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Freedom School District	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.