Compare towns
Fall River vs Acushnet vs Exeter vs Westport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Acushnet has the most homeowners (85.3%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Westport has the most expensive homes ($522k 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 | Fall River | Acushnet | Exeter | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
10,624Lowest |
16,151 |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
46±2.8 18% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
50.7±1.8Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Acushnet and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$89,503±$9k 11% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$96,000±$9k 19% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$436,400±$34k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$521,900±$38kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,170±$354 17% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,425±$356 about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$4,647 49% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,719Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Acushnet and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #118 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Acushnet | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Westport |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Exeter High School | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.