Compare towns
Freetown vs Ashby vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).
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 | Freetown | Ashby | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285 |
3,211Lowest |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,884±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
$115,598±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
| Freetown and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30k 8% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
| Hanson and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
| Freetown and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188Lowest 13% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
$6,402Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 11% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | North Middlesex | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.