Compare towns
Fall River vs Chicopee 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).
Chicopee has the most homeowners (55.7%).
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 | Chicopee | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
55,295Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
41.9±1.4Highest 5% above MA |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Chicopee 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%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.5%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
22.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$62,615±$6kHighest 40% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Chicopee 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 30% below MA |
$274,500±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$357,300±$6k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,157±$50Highest 34% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Chicopee and Fall River 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 |
$3,847Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,338Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
52%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New 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% MA: 10% |
17.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% below MA |
21 minLowest 27% below MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
8%±1.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Chicopee 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 | #247 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Chicopee | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Chicopee Comprehensive High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
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.