Compare towns
Chilmark vs Fall River vs Lawrence vs Aquinnah
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chilmark has the highest household income ($169k).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Aquinnah has the most people working from home (52.1%).
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 | Chilmark | Fall River | Lawrence | Aquinnah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,578 |
94,082Highest |
88,736 |
666Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
47.8±7.8 20% above MA |
| Chilmark and Aquinnah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
26.4%±8.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Aquinnah and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±6.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and Aquinnah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±4 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence 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 | $168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$146,354±$69k 41% above MA |
| Chilmark and Aquinnah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$1,878,700±$215k 234% above MA |
| Chilmark and Aquinnah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
— |
| Chilmark and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 25% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±59.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
32.7%±45.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 8% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
20 minLowest 32% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±11 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
52.1%±12Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Up-Island Regional | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | — |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.