What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).

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	Brookline
People
Population	94,082Highest	5,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average	41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S.
	Brookline 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%	26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookline 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.	$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S.	$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S.	$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Fall River and Brookline 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%	0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.	1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#262 of 282 in MA	#23 of 120 in NH
School district	Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical	Brookline School District
High school in town	B M C Durfee High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.