Compare towns
Freetown vs Hanson vs Mason
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).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Mason has the most people working from home (20.7%).
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 | Hanson | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285 |
10,660Highest |
1,451Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Mason and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
28.8%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mason and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hanson 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% |
42.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 78% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10k 64% above U.S. |
$111,090±$3kLowest 38% 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. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$384,000±$21kLowest 15% 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±$363 34% above U.S. |
$1,821±$860Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$2,530±$852Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Mason and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$6,402 105% above U.S. |
$7,049Highest 126% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
87.2%±42.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mason and Hanson 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Whitman-Hanson | Mason School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.