Hanscom AFB is in Bedford, Massachusetts, on the site of the local airport. The closest major city to base is Boston. Bedford has about 14,000 people, and is in Middlesex County, which has a population of about 1.5 million people. There are many nearby communities. Bedford is part of the Greater Boston area, a metropolis of between 4.5 and 7.6 million, depending on how it is defined.

It is about 4 miles from downtown Bedford to Hanscom Base; this takes about 10 minutes to commute. The average commute in Bedford County is about 28 minutes.

Local Housing Rental Prices: The average one bedroom apartment rent in the Bedford area ranges from $1,100 to $1,400 per month.

Local Housing Purchase Prices: The average price for houses near Hanscom Air Force Base is about $536,000, compared to $350,000 for Massachusetts.

Short Description of the Area: Bedford is a small town on the outer reaches of the Greater Boston area, in northeastern Massachusetts. The area is rich in American Revolutionary War history, and has an above average resident income and education level. Other nearby communities include Concord, Carlisle, Billerica, Burlington, Lexington, and Lincoln. Downtown Boston is about half an hour away.

Climate and Weather: The area has a typical northeast climate, with steady rain or snow rates through the year, winter temperatures of the mid-30s to low 20s, slightly wetter springs, summer temperatures usually between the low 80s and mid-60s, and colorful cooling falls. The area has variable weather, with anything from temperate days to cold snaps, light to heavy snow (up to a foot in a month), light to heavy fog, spring and summer rain storms and thunderstorms, hail, and occasional nor'easters (but not all the time). The good news is there are no known tornadoes around here.

Transportation: Bedford has limited MBTA transit, including rapid bus transit.