Compare towns
Erving vs Fall River vs Wendell vs Chester
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 most affordable homes ($272k median).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Wendell has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Chester has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
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 | Wendell | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,703 |
94,082Highest |
850Lowest |
1,240 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
47.1±8.8Highest 18% above MA |
45.9±3.7 15% above MA |
| Wendell and Chester 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% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.5%±1.9 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% |
51.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell 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 | $77,656±$9k 25% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% below MA |
$89,390±$6kHighest 14% below MA |
| Chester and Erving 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±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
$281,900±$14k 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,163±$213 34% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,239±$519Highest 30% below MA |
$1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
| Wendell and Erving 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 |
$4,519 25% below MA |
$4,522Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.1%±22.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Wendell and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
21.3%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #262 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Erving | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | New Salem-Wendell | Gateway |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— | — |
| 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.