Compare towns
Fall River vs Gardner vs Lawrence vs Everett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most homeowners (58.9%).
Lawrence has the most kids (26.3% under 18).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k 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 | Gardner | Lawrence | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
21,148Lowest |
88,736 |
50,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest 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 |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Everett 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% |
13.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Everett 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Gardner | Lawrence | Everett |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Gardner High | Lawrence High School | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
13.5 |
13.6Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.