What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freeport has the most homeowners (77.6%).

Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 min average).

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	Freeport	Lebanon
People
Population	8,802Lowest	14,999Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S.	38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Freeport and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Freeport and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	57.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lebanon and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S.	$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S.
	Freeport and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S.	$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$123Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S.	$8,149Highest 161% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.9%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freeport and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1980Lowest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 11% below U.S.	14 minLowest 47% below U.S.
Work from home	21.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Lebanon and Freeport 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	#4 of 133 in ME	#29 of 120 in NH
School district	RSU 05	Lebanon School District
High school in town	Freeport High School	Lebanon High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	11.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.