Compare towns
Webster vs Lakeville vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Lakeville has the most people working from home (15.2%).
Hanson has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Webster | Lakeville | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
11,944 |
10,660Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
43.8±1.9Highest 9% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
| Lakeville and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.6% MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lakeville and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$133,984±$11kHighest 29% above MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
| Lakeville and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$565,900±$27kHighest about the MA average |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
| Lakeville and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,884±$466Highest 7% above MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
| Lakeville and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$5,536 8% below MA |
$6,402Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±18.2 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
15.2%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lakeville and Webster 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #96 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Freetown-Lakeville | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Apponequet Regional High | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
10.9Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.