Compare towns
Freetown vs Kittery vs Townsend
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).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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 | Kittery | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285 |
10,473Highest |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Freetown and Townsend 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% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Kittery 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. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Townsend 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. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Kittery 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. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Kittery 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. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Freetown 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #17 of 133 in ME | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Kittery Public Schools | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.