What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cumberland has the most homeowners (76.3%).

Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cumberland	Fall River
People
Population	36,820Lowest	94,082Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.5±1.2Highest 12% above U.S.	39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	23.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Cumberland and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Fall River and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,522±$8kHighest 46% above U.S.	$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$431,000±$15kHighest 30% above U.S.	$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,379±$109Highest about the U.S. average	$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,870Highest 56% above U.S.	$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.9%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Fall River and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	14.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#18 of 38 in RI	#262 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland	Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Cumberland High School	B M C Durfee High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.