Compare towns
Freetown vs Hanson vs Upton vs Fall River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% 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 | Hanson | Upton | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,285 |
10,660 |
8,189Lowest |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton 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 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Fall River 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 |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Upton 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±$30k 8% below MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
| Upton and Hanson 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% 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 |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Upton 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Whitman-Hanson | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | Blackstone Valley | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
11.2Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.