What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).

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.

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

Measure	Hanson	Westminster
People
Population	10,660Highest	8,374Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA	48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA
	Westminster and Hanson 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%	21.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Hanson and Westminster 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%	26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Westminster 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%	45.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Hanson and Westminster 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	$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average
	Hanson and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA	$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Lowest 3% above MA	$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA
	Westminster and Hanson 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	$4,973Lowest 17% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8%	60%±27.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Hanson and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Highest MA: 10%	2.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest MA: 62.5%	87.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 15% above MA	27 minLowest 7% below MA
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Westminster 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	#112 of 282 in MA
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Ashburnham-Westminster
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	Oakmont Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	13.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.