Compare towns
Townsend vs Mason vs Freetown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Mason has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Freetown has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
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 | Mason | Freetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
1,451Lowest |
9,285Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.9±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Mason and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
28.8%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Mason and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Freetown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Freetown 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 51% above U.S. |
$111,090±$3kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$143,884±$15kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Freetown and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$384,000±$21kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$518,200±$30kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,530±$852Highest 79% above U.S. |
$1,891±$363 34% above U.S. |
| Mason and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$7,049Highest 126% above U.S. |
$5,188Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
87.2%±42.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mason and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | — | #161 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Mason School District | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.