Compare towns
Freetown vs Wareham vs Hanson 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 highest household income ($144k).
Wareham has the most people working from home (12.4%).
Hanson has the most homeowners (89%).
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 | Wareham | Hanson | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
23,302 |
10,660 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 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% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Hanson 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% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below 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 |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% 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 |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
| Freetown and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188 13% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$6,402Highest 7% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson 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% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham 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 | #272 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Wareham | Whitman-Hanson | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Whitman Hanson Regional | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.