Compare towns
Fall River vs Everett vs Lancaster vs North Westport
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).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
North Westport has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | North Westport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
50,045 |
8,606 |
5,289Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44.7±2.8Highest 12% above MA |
| North Westport and Lancaster 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%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and North Westport 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% |
17% 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% |
6.1%±3.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and North Westport 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 |
$87,582±$17k 16% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$411,300±$53k 27% 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±$723 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 |
$2,806Lowest 53% 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%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
73.3%±40.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Westport and Lancaster 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% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% 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 |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% 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% |
4.3%±2.4Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Everett High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | — |
| 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.