Compare towns
Ashby vs Fall River vs Somerset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Somerset has the most expensive homes ($419k 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 | Ashby | Fall River | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
94,082Highest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
47±2.2 18% above MA |
| Ashby and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Fall River and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Somerset and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
| Ashby and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$418,800±$18kHighest 25% below MA |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,271±$93Highest 28% below MA |
| Somerset and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034Highest about the MA average |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby and Somerset 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.