Compare towns
Townsend vs Fall River vs Hanson vs Pepperell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
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 | Townsend | Fall River | Hanson | Pepperell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
94,082Highest |
10,660 |
11,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±3Highest 7% above MA |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
| Hanson and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
| Hanson and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
| Hanson and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 about the MA average |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Whitman-Hanson | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | B M C Durfee High | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.