Compare towns
Freetown vs Griswold 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).
Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Griswold | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
11,530 |
11,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
| Griswold and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pepperell 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell 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 78% above U.S. |
$78,719±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$124,073±$12k 54% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$275,900±$42kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$482,100±$14k 45% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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. |
$1,177±$65Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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. |
$4,628Lowest 48% above U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #118 of 149 in CT | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Griswold School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Griswold High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.