Compare towns
Fall River vs Exeter 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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Somerset has the most homeowners (86.9%).
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 | Exeter | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
16,151Lowest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
47±2.2Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Fall River and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Somerset and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$112,677±$6kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$418,800±$18k 26% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,271±$93 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,977 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Somerset 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Exeter High School | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.