Compare towns
Fall River vs Holyoke vs Springfield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Holyoke has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Springfield has the most homeowners (49.6%).
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 | Holyoke | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
37,813Lowest |
154,749Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
40±1.6Highest about the MA average |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
| Holyoke 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% |
21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±1.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kHighest 45% below MA |
$53,605±$3k 48% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
| Fall River and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$274,100±$8k 51% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Highest 34% below MA |
$1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
| Fall River and Springfield 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 |
$4,065Highest 32% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
27%Highest MA: 10% |
25.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
41.3% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
20 min 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Holyoke and Springfield 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Holyoke · Springfield | Springfield |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Holyoke High | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.5Highest |
12.2 |
| 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.