Compare towns
Fall River vs Everett vs Lancaster vs Lawrence
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 affordable homes ($396k median).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Lawrence has the most kids (26.3% 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 | Everett | Lancaster | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
50,045 |
8,606Lowest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Lancaster 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% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster 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 MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Lawrence 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 45% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
| Lancaster and Everett 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 |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | Nashoba | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Everett High | None in town | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1 |
— | 13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.