Compare towns
Fall River vs Brookline vs Somerset
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).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Somerset has the oldest population (median age 47).
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 | Brookline | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
5,736Lowest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
47±2.2Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% 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% |
4.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Somerset 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. |
$112,677±$6k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$418,800±$18k 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,271±$93 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,977 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somerset 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% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Brookline School District | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.