Compare towns
Freetown vs Lunenburg vs Townsend
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).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Lunenburg | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285 |
11,902Highest |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.2±2.1Highest 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Lunenburg and Freetown 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% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lunenburg and Freetown 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% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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 |
$112,828±$11kLowest 9% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
| 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 8% below MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363 7% above MA |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
| Lunenburg 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 |
$6,401Highest 7% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 11% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Lunenburg | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Lunenburg High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.