Compare towns
Freetown vs Lancaster vs Hanson
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%).
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
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 | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285 |
8,606Lowest |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
| Lancaster 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest 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%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson 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 |
$132,200±$10kLowest 27% 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±$30kLowest 8% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
| Hanson and Lancaster 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 |
$1,821±$860Lowest 3% above MA |
| Lancaster and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188Lowest 13% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Nashoba | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
| 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.