Compare towns
Eliot vs Fall River vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k 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 | Eliot | Fall River | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
94,082Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham 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 | $101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$91,028±$10k 13% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,355±$642 4% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,259 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eliot and Topsham 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #262 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.