Compare towns
Freetown vs Lancaster vs Fall River vs Pepperell
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%).
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 | Lancaster | Fall River | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,285 |
8,606Lowest |
94,082Highest |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
| Lancaster and Pepperell 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% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Pepperell 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% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell 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±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above 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 |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$482,100±$14k 14% 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 |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,295±$238 27% 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 |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,698 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Fall River 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Nashoba | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 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.