Compare towns
Chester vs Fall River vs Blandford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Blandford has the most people working from home (12.8%).
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 | Chester | Fall River | Blandford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,240 |
94,082Highest |
1,156Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±3.7 15% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
52.9±4.3Highest 32% above MA |
| Blandford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.8%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fall River and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,390±$6k 14% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$91,902±$13kHighest 12% below MA |
| Blandford and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$287,900±$18k 49% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$71 37% below MA |
$1,155±$27Highest 34% below MA |
$1,047±$459Lowest 41% below MA |
| Fall River and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,522Highest 25% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,641Lowest 39% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.1%±22.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
29.4%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Chester and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.5% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 7%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.8%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #262 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gateway | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | — |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| 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.