Compare towns
Fall River vs Harvard vs Lancaster
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).
Harvard has the most expensive homes ($834k 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 | Harvard | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
6,927Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Harvard and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Fall River 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% |
16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Harvard 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% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fall River and Harvard 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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 | #12 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Harvard | Nashoba |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
11.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.