Compare towns
Erving vs Fall River vs Lawrence vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Erving has the highest household income ($78k).
Fall River has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Wendell has the most people working from home (16.8%).
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 | Erving | Fall River | Lawrence | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,703 |
94,082Highest |
88,736 |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
47.1±8.8Highest 18% above MA |
| Wendell and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wendell and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.1% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,656±$9kHighest 25% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
| Erving and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
| Lawrence and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$213 34% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,239±$519 30% below MA |
| Lawrence and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422 43% below MA |
$4,519Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Erving | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | None in town |
| 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.