Compare towns
Freetown vs Webster vs Pepperell 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).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Webster | Pepperell | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
17,748 |
11,663 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
42.4±3.3Highest 6% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Pepperell 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% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Pepperell 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% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Pepperell 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 |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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 |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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 |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
| Freetown and Pepperell 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 |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Webster 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% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #161 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Webster | North Middlesex | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Highest |
— | 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.