Compare towns
Fall River vs Hanson vs Pepperell vs Lawrence
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 affordable homes ($396k median).
Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
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 | Hanson | Pepperell | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
10,660Lowest |
11,663 |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
42.8±3Highest 7% above MA |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Hanson and Pepperell 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%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Hanson 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% |
19.7%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Pepperell 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% MA: 47.3% |
43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Pepperell 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 |
$132,200±$10kHighest 27% above MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Hanson and Pepperell 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 |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,295±$238 27% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
| Hanson and Lawrence 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 |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$6,698Highest 12% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Lawrence 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% |
8% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Whitman-Hanson | North Middlesex | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— | 13.6 |
| 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.