What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).

Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fall River	Bedford
People
Population	94,082Highest	23,746Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average	45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bedford 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%	20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	63%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bedford 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	$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S.	$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S.	$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S.	$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S.	$9,803Highest 214% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bedford and Fall River 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%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#262 of 282 in MA	#7 of 120 in NH
School district	Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical	Bedford School District
High school in town	B M C Durfee High	Bedford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	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.