Compare towns

Fall River vs Hanson vs Dighton

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).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).

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.

MeasureFall RiverHansonDighton
People
Population
94,082Highest
10,660
8,193Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%
MA: +7.4%
+4.2%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+14.3%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
39.3±1.2Lowest
about the MA average
42.8±3Highest
7% above MA
42.7±2.9
7% above MA
Hanson and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.9%±1.2Lowest
MA: 19.4%
21.6%±3.7Highest
MA: 19.4%
21%±4
MA: 19.4%
Hanson and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.1%±0.9Lowest
MA: 17.9%
19.7%±3Highest
MA: 17.9%
17.5%±3.5
MA: 17.9%
Hanson and Dighton 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%
42.6%Highest
MA: 47.3%
35.9%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±0.6Lowest
MA: 7.9%
4.8%±2.2Highest
MA: 7.9%
4.2%±2
MA: 7.9%
Hanson and Dighton 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
$132,200±$10k
27% above MA
$136,646±$19kHighest
31% above MA
Dighton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$395,500±$11kLowest
30% below MA
$533,900±$36kHighest
5% below MA
$501,900±$47k
11% below MA
Hanson and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,155±$27Lowest
34% below MA
$1,821±$860Highest
3% above MA
$1,405±$192
20% below MA
Hanson and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,953Lowest
34% below MA
$6,402
7% above MA
$6,452Highest
8% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.5%±3.3
MA: 51.8%
69%±33.1Highest
MA: 51.8%
11.8%±16.1Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Hanson and Fall River 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%
2.7%Lowest
MA: 10%
2.9%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
35.3%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
89%
MA: 62.5%
90.1%Highest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945Lowest
19 yrs older than MA
1972
8 yrs newer than MA
1975Highest
11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minLowest
11% below MA
34 minHighest
15% above MA
31 min
6% above MA
Work from home
7.1%±1.2Lowest
MA: 18.6%
7.9%±2.5
MA: 18.6%
11%±3.9Highest
MA: 18.6%
Dighton and Hanson 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 #149 of 282 in MA #85 of 282 in MA
School district Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical Whitman-Hanson Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth
High school in town B M C Durfee High Whitman Hanson Regional Bristol County Agricultural High
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3Lowest
14.7Highest
11.9
On TownTapestry
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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.