Compare towns
Freetown vs Sturbridge vs Fall River
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 most expensive homes ($518k median).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Sturbridge | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
9,960 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Freetown and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Freetown and Sturbridge 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 |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
| Freetown and Sturbridge 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 |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Sturbridge 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.