Compare towns
Freetown vs Charlton vs Douglas
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 most expensive homes ($518k median).
Charlton has the most kids (24.7% under 18).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Charlton | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285 |
13,435Highest |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
43±4 8% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.7%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Charlton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Charlton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% MA: 47.3% |
37.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Charlton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,884±$15k 38% above MA |
$117,587±$8kLowest 13% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30kHighest 8% below MA |
$427,500±$19kLowest 24% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Freetown and Douglas 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 |
$1,381±$415Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
| Freetown and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188 13% below MA |
$4,617Lowest 23% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1 MA: 51.8% |
41.3%±9.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Charlton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1985 21 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 11% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Charlton 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 | #161 of 282 in MA | #133 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric | Douglas |
| High school in town | None in town | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.