<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 12/31/94
000 C000000 202049
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT INCOME FUND
001 B000000 811-2712
001 C000000 6173751700
002 A000000 101 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02199
002 D020000 7603
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 JOHN HANCOCK ADVISERS, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-8124
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02199
008 D040001 7603
011 A000001 JOHN HANCOCK BROKER DISTRIBUTION SERVICES INC
011 B000001 8-43582
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02199
011 C040001 7603
012 A000001 JOHN HANCOCK FUND SERVICES, INC.
012 B000001 84-1885
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02199
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 C040001 9114
013 A000001 ERNST & YOUNG LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
013 B030001 02116
014 A000001 JOHN HANCOCK DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B000001 8-13995
014 A000002 JOHN HANCOCK BROKER DISTRIBUTION SERVICES INC
014 B000002 8-43582
014 A000003 TUCKER ANTHONY AND R.L. DAY, INC.
014 B000003 8-24297
014 A000004 SUTRO & CO., INC.
014 B000004 8-7981
015 A000001 INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02106
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 49
019 C000000 JOHNHANCOC
020 A000001 BEAR STEARNS
020 B000001 13-2975144
020 C000001 12
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 12
022 A000001 KIDDER PEABODY & CO.
022 B000001 13-5650440
022 C000001 171563
022 D000001 27655
022 A000002 WILLIAM E. SIMONS & CO.
022 B000002 22-3017217
022 C000002 77420
022 D000002 71750
022 A000003 BANKERS TRUST
022 B000003 13-4941247
022 C000003 140047
022 D000003 8053
022 A000004 MORGAN (J.P.) SEC.
022 B000004 13-3224016
022 C000004 60468
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000004 43209
022 A000005 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
022 B000005 13-1912900
022 C000005 49604
022 D000005 14730
022 A000006 SANWA BANK LTD.
022 C000006 59996
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 KEMPER SECURITIES
022 B000007 34-1373510
022 C000007 21903
022 D000007 30548
022 A000008 UBS SECURITIES
022 B000008 04-2474663
022 C000008 47705
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 GIBRALTAR SECURITIES
022 C000009 13211
022 D000009 24949
022 A000010 GOLDMAN SACHS
022 B000010 13-5108880
022 C000010 21115
022 D000010 13568
023 C000000 798623
023 D000000 375870
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 3087
028 A020000 1688
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 6064
028 B010000 3919
028 B020000 1959
028 B030000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 B040000 6001
028 C010000 2936
028 C020000 1788
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 6093
028 D010000 2930
028 D020000 1873
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 7356
028 E010000 2974
028 E020000 1849
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 9372
028 F010000 3181
028 F020000 2925
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 6842
028 G010000 19027
028 G020000 12082
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 41728
028 H000000 13610
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 1188
030 B000000 4.50
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 143
031 B000000 0
032 000000 89
033 000000 956
034 000000 Y
035 000000 10
036 A000000 Y
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 100
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 1523
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 5
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 500000
048 A020000 0.550
048 B010000 500000
048 B020000 0.500
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 1000000
048 K020000 0.450
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 Y
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 6
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 1000
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.4
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 97.3
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 2.7
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 22.5
064 A000000 N
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 N
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 Y
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 L010000 N
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 365621
071 B000000 383715
071 C000000 491813
071 D000000 74
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 32895
072 C000000 0
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 2763
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 1006
072 J000000 123
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 61
072 M000000 51
072 N000000 73
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 39
072 S000000 23
072 T000000 1523
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 23
072 X000000 5685
072 Y000000 94
072 Z000000 27304
072AA000000 0
072BB000000 3466
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 55446
072DD010000 27205
072DD020000 99
072EE000000 1431
<PAGE> PAGE 8
073 A010000 0.5664
073 A020000 0.4918
073 B000000 0.0296
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 2
074 B000000 96
074 C000000 2000
074 D000000 458512
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 3210
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 10708
074 M000000 562
074 N000000 475090
074 O000000 3179
074 P000000 292
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 170
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 471449
074 U010000 46946
074 U020000 399
074 V010000 9.96
074 V020000 9.95
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 28742
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 504640
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 9
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 Y
077 Q010000 N
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A000000 GULF INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 25000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 46
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE THOMAS H. DROHAN
TITLE SR. VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000202049
<NAME> JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT INCOME FUND, CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1994
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 471,293,178
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 460,608,064
<RECEIVABLES> 13,917,779
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1,559,542
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> (11,680,426)
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 475,090,073
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 3,179,070
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 462,213
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 3,641,283
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 486,600,302
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 46,945,981
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 48,307,048
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2,796
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (3,473,882)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (11,680,426)
<NET-ASSETS> 471,448,790
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 32,894,653
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 5,590,618
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 27,304,035
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (3,466,027)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 55,445,616
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (31,607,608)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 27,204,549
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 1,428,226
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 3,879,115
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 7,437,980
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 2,197,798
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (1,361,067)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 1,426,100
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 2,763,233
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 5,685,062
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 502,121,892
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.21
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.57
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.22)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.57
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.03
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.96
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.11
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000202049
<NAME> JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT INCOME FUND, CLASS B
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1994
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 471,293,178
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 460,608,064
<RECEIVABLES> 13,917,779
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1,559,542
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> (11,680,426)
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 475,090,073
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 3,179,070
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 462,213
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 3,641,283
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 486,600,302
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 399,205
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2,796
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (3,473,882)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (11,680,426)
<NET-ASSETS> 471,448,790
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 32,894,653
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 5,590,618
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 27,304,035
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (3,466,027)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 55,445,616
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (31,607,608)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 99,486
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 2,933
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 427,397
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 36,196
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 8,004
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 399,205
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 1,426,100
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 2,763,233
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 5,685,062
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,065,752
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.17
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.49
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.19)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.49
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.03
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.95
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.83
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
