Compare towns
Freetown vs Northbridge 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).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Northbridge | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
16,458Highest |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
| Northbridge 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% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pepperell 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell and Northbridge 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 |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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 |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
| Freetown and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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 |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Northbridge and Pepperell 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% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Pepperell and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Northbridge | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— |
| 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.