What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has the most affordable homes ($534k median).

Lexington has the most people working from home (36.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hanson	Lexington
People
Population	10,660Lowest	34,295Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA	47.3±0.8Highest 18% above MA
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4%	25.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lexington and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.7%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Lexington and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	84.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.8%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanson and Lexington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kLowest 27% above MA	$238,444±$18kHighest 129% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA	$1,203,100±$35kHighest 114% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Lowest 3% above MA	$2,891±$233Highest 64% above MA
	Lexington and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Lowest 7% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8%	50.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanson and Lexington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest MA: 10%	4.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest MA: 62.5%	80.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	36.7%±3Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#149 of 282 in MA	#2 of 282 in MA
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Lexington
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	Lexington High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.