Compare towns
Fall River vs Hanson vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the most people working from home (10.5%).
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 | Townsend | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
10,660 |
9,100Lowest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%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 |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Hanson and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2 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% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hanson and Townsend 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% |
35.5% 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% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Hanson and Townsend 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 |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,469±$313 17% 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 |
$6,402Highest 7% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$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% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% 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 |
1976Highest 12 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 |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend 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 | #136 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 | North Middlesex Regional | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
13.1 |
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.