Compare towns
Douglas vs Fall River vs Townsend vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k 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 | Douglas | Fall River | Townsend | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
94,082Highest |
9,100Lowest |
17,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Webster and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Douglas and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$3,999 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #177 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex | Webster |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | B M C Durfee High | North Middlesex Regional | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.3 |
13.1Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.