Compare towns
Freetown vs Sutton vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freetown has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% 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 | Sutton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285Highest |
2,239Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Freetown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sutton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Sutton 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 78% above U.S. |
$130,313±$31k 61% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Kearsarge Regional School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.