What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has the most kids (21.6% under 18).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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	Mansfield
People
Population	10,660Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	42.8±3Highest 10% above U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.7%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S.	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S.	$1,602±$104Lowest 13% above U.S.
	Hanson and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Highest 105% above U.S.	$5,727Lowest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mansfield and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#149 of 282 in MA	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.