Compare towns
Freetown vs Hanson vs Northbridge
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).
Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Hanson | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
10,660 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
| Northbridge 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest 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%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Northbridge 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 |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% 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 |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% 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 |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Freetown and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188 13% below MA |
$6,402Highest 7% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Whitman-Hanson | Northbridge |
| High school in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.