Compare towns
Fall River vs Brewer vs New Bedford
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).
Brewer has the most homeowners (59.7%).
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 | Brewer | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
9,652Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
40.1±4.8Highest 3% above U.S. |
37±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Brewer 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Bedford and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Brewer and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26 20% below U.S. |
| Fall River and New Bedford 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. |
$3,374Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,338Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brewer 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Highest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fall River and Brewer 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 | #32 of 133 in ME | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Brewer Public Schools | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Brewer High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.0Highest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.