HANSON /Meadow Lane, Monroe St., Sandy Lane, Sandy Terrace
Quaint, child-friendly yet close to a major roadway

By TERI BORSETI
For The Patriot Ledger Area: 15.67 square miles

POPULATION
2000: 9,495
2006: 10,206

Density: 651 res./square mile
Median age: 38
Median household income: 72,815

FINANCES
Tax rate (2007): $9.38
Town budget: $17.8 million
Average water bill: $320/year

HOUSING
Median home price (# sales)
2007: $333,000 (75)
2008: $290,450 (26 through April)
Median condo price
2007: $249,950 (18)
2008: $304,900 (3 through April)

SCHOOLS
Number of students: 4,372
Number of teachers: 273
H.S. grads to 4-yr. college: 54%
H.S. grads to 2-yr. college: 27%
Median SAT score (2006): 1,466

Residents of a Hanson neighborhood off Pleasant Street that includes Meadow Lane, Monroe Street, Sandy Lane and Sandy Terrace are within minutes of a major roadway, yet it feels like they live in the country.

Cathy Brotherton has lived 32 years on Pleasant Street. Her grandson, Bart Clemments, lives with her and expects to one day own the home.

"I have so many great memories of coming to this house when I was a kid. My aunt used to live next door until she died, and we knew everyone in the neighborhood back then. It still feels good to be here," Clemments said.

When he gets up to go to work at about 5 a.m., Clemments said he can hear the roosters at the house next door announcing the start of the day. "I love the fact that it's so quiet here but Route 27 is right down the street," he added.

Brotherton, who paid $26,000 for her house in the 1970s, said the neighborhood has changed little. "For the most part, it's still the county neighborhood I liked when I first saw it," she said.

Arthur Brudeur moved to Monroe Street from Plymouth 10 years ago. "We wanted something with a little more of a small-town feel to it. We also heard very good things about the schools here and we have two children (4 and 7), so it's worked out well," he said.

Brudeur coaches youth softball and soccer in Hanson. "This is a great spot to live because in one direction, there's the ballfield where the girls softball teams play and beyond that are protected wetlands. My neighbor across the street has a barn and horses, and a Koi pond full of fish and down the street is Burrage Pond conservation land which is great for seeing wildlife," he said.

Sandy Terrace is among the quietest streets in the area. There few worries about children playing in front of their homes on the dead-end .

Denise Hennelly grew up in Hanson not far from where she lives now. When she bought her house, it was a basic cape. But she has added a second floor, a garage with a family room on top, a mud room and a large front porch.

" I have two kids (9 and 10) and last weekend there was at least 13 kids playing out front here. There are no cars going by, so I've never had to worry," Hennelly said.

In the past six months, the average home sale price in Hanson has been $259,000. House prices in town range from $89,900 to $653,000. The average time on the market is 151 days.

Hanson is one of a few South Shore communities that has managed to retain a small-town atmosphere. Residents in this neighborhood have vegetable gardens and enjoy a good bike ride.

"It was a nice place for me to grow up, and I'm happy that my kids can grow up here too," Hennelly said.