Compare towns
Fall River vs Athol vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Athol has the most homeowners (72.4%).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% 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 | Fall River | Athol | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
12,011Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
41.3±1.9Highest 3% above MA |
37±0.8Lowest 8% 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% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford 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% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$69,316±$5kHighest 33% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$357,300±$6k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Highest 34% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Fall River and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,338Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
16.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1953Highest 11 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
27 minHighest 8% below MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Athol and Fall River 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 | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Athol-Royalston | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Athol High | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.6 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.