Compare towns
Hanson vs New Braintree vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the highest household income ($132k).
New Braintree has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Hanson | New Braintree | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,660Highest |
973 |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
47.8±4.6Highest 20% above MA |
47.1±8.8 18% above MA |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and New Braintree 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% |
25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| New Braintree and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA |
$99,500±$8k 4% below MA |
$65,288±$14kLowest 37% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
$290,300±$31kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
$1,239±$519Lowest 30% below MA |
| Hanson and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,402Highest 7% above MA |
$5,508 8% below MA |
$4,519Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Wendell 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% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wendell 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Quabbin | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.