Compare towns
Hanson vs Stoneham vs Freetown
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 most homeowners (89%).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
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 | Stoneham | Freetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,660 |
23,355Highest |
9,285Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3Highest 7% above MA |
42.2±2.2 6% above MA |
40.9±3.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Hanson and Stoneham 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% |
20.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham 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% MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$143,884±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
| Freetown and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$518,200±$30kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,821±$860Lowest 3% above MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,891±$363 7% above MA |
| Stoneham and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,402 7% above MA |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$5,188Lowest 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Stoneham 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% |
5.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #149 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #161 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Stoneham | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | Stoneham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.