Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Fall River vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairhaven has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Fairhaven | Fall River | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
94,082Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
| Fairhaven and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Northbridge and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge 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 | $95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
| Northbridge and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
| Northbridge and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$4,821Highest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge and Fairhaven 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 | #126 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | B M C Durfee High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
11.3 |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.