Compare towns
Halifax vs Hanson vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($482k median).
Hanson has the most renters (11% rent).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Halifax | Hanson | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748 |
10,660Highest |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7Lowest 5% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Halifax and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11kLowest 14% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51kLowest 14% below MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
| Hanson and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840 14% above MA |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #120 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Whitman-Hanson | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.