Compare towns
Fall River vs Hardwick 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Hardwick has the most homeowners (68.2%).
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 | Hardwick | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
2,684Lowest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
45.3±9.8Highest 13% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Hardwick and Fall River 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% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Hardwick 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% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
30.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick 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 |
$75,000±$22kHighest 28% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Hardwick and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA |
| Lawrence and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Hardwick 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% |
11%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hardwick and Fall River 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Quabbin | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.