Compare towns
Fall River vs Gilsum vs Westport
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).
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Westport has the most expensive homes ($522k 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 | Gilsum | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
716Lowest |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.8±8.1 15% above U.S. |
50.7±1.8Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Westport and Gilsum 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% |
12%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Fall River and Westport 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% |
19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$80,417±$7k about the U.S. average |
$96,000±$9kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Westport and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$241,500±$32kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$521,900±$38kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,575±$894Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,425±$356 about the U.S. average |
| Gilsum and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$5,579Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,719Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.5%±55.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gilsum and Westport 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% |
13.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gilsum and Westport 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 | — | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Monadnock Regional School District | Westport |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.