Compare towns
Attleboro vs Fall River vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Attleboro has the most people working from home (14.5%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Attleboro | Fall River | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 46,762Lowest |
94,082Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.8±1.4 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
39.9±1.7Highest about the MA average |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Attleboro and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Methuen and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,954±$6k 5% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,100±$13k 20% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,590±$83 10% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
| Methuen and Attleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,366Highest 10% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,061 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Attleboro and Methuen 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 | #185 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Attleboro | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen |
| High school in town | Attleboro High | B M C Durfee High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
11.3Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.