Compare towns
Fall River vs Everett vs Bow 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).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Bow has the most homeowners (87.5%).
New Bedford has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
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 | Everett | Bow | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
50,045 |
8,335Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Bow 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% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and New Bedford 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% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Everett and Bow 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. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$357,300±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,880 56% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,338 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Everett 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% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | Bow School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Everett High | Bow High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1 |
12.8 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.