Compare towns
Freetown vs Dummerston vs Hanson vs Pepperell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).
Pepperell has the most renters (15.7% rent).
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 | Dummerston | Hanson | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,285 |
2,090Lowest |
10,660 |
11,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell and Hanson 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 78% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10k 64% above U.S. |
$124,073±$12k 54% above U.S. |
| 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 56% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$482,100±$14k 45% above U.S. |
| 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 34% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,821±$860 29% above U.S. |
$1,295±$238Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Freetown and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188 66% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,402 105% above U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Pepperell 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 | — | #149 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Whitman-Hanson | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.