Compare towns

Freetown vs Lancaster vs Acushnet

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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Acushnet has the most affordable homes ($436k 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.

MeasureFreetownLancasterAcushnet
People
Population
9,285
8,606Lowest
10,624Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.8%
MA: +7.4%
+4.8%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+2.5%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
40.9±3.2Lowest
about the MA average
43.1±4.9
8% above MA
46±2.8Highest
15% above MA
Acushnet and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.1%±3.1Highest
MA: 19.4%
19.2%±4Lowest
MA: 19.4%
20.3%±3.9
MA: 19.4%
Freetown and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.8%±2.2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
19.9%±4.2
MA: 17.9%
23.9%±3.7Highest
MA: 17.9%
Acushnet and Lancaster 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%
50.3%Highest
MA: 47.3%
26.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.2
MA: 7.9%
3%±1.8Lowest
MA: 7.9%
3.9%±1.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
Acushnet 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
38% above MA
$134,833±$27k
30% above MA
$89,503±$9kLowest
14% below MA
Freetown and Lancaster 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
$519,100±$60kHighest
8% below MA
$436,400±$34kLowest
22% below MA
Lancaster 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
7% above MA
$2,338±$539Highest
33% above MA
$1,170±$354Lowest
34% below MA
Lancaster and Freetown 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
$7,235Highest
21% above MA
$4,647Lowest
22% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.2%±12.1Lowest
MA: 51.8%
68.3%±36.7Highest
MA: 51.8%
65.4%±15.3
MA: 51.8%
Lancaster and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.1%
MA: 10%
1.4%Lowest
MA: 10%
6%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.1%Highest
MA: 62.5%
85.1%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
85.3%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Highest
12 yrs newer than MA
1971
7 yrs newer than MA
1968Lowest
4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 minHighest
11% above MA
32 min
9% above MA
28 minLowest
4% below MA
Work from home
7.7%±2.8Lowest
MA: 18.6%
33.6%±9.1Highest
MA: 18.6%
10.3%±3.6
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #161 of 282 in MA #145 of 282 in MA #118 of 282 in MA
School district Freetown-Lakeville Nashoba Acushnet
High school in town None in town None in town None in town
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.