Compare towns
Fall River vs Athol vs Lawrence vs Everett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).
Lawrence has the most kids (26.3% under 18).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k 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 | Athol | Lawrence | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
12,011Lowest |
88,736 |
50,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
41.3±1.9Highest 3% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
| Athol and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Athol and Fall River 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 MA: 47.3% |
20.4% MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Lawrence 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 45% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,422 43% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
14.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1953Highest 11 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
| Athol and Everett 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 | #262 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Athol-Royalston | Lawrence | Everett |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Athol High | Lawrence High School | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.6 |
13.6Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.