Compare towns
Freetown vs Townsend vs Fall River vs Acushnet
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).
Townsend has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Acushnet has the oldest population (median age 46).
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 | Townsend | Fall River | Acushnet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,285 |
9,100Lowest |
94,082Highest |
10,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
46±2.8Highest 15% above MA |
| Acushnet 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%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$89,503±$9k 14% below 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 |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$436,400±$34k 22% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,170±$354 34% below MA |
| Freetown and Townsend 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,647 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Fall River 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend and Acushnet 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #118 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | North Middlesex | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Acushnet |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
11.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.