Compare towns
Freetown vs Townsend vs Hanson
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).
Townsend has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Hanson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.2%).
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 | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285 |
9,100Lowest |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±3Highest 7% above MA |
| Hanson and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Freetown 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%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson 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% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Hanson 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±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
| Freetown and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30k 8% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
| Hanson and Freetown 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 |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
| Freetown and Hanson 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 |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$6,402Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 11% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend and Hanson 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 | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | North Middlesex | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.