Compare towns
Fall River vs Holyoke vs Upton
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).
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
37,813 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
40±1.6 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Holyoke 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Holyoke 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% |
20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Holyoke 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% |
25.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fall River and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3k 45% below MA |
$53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Highest 34% below MA |
$1,021±$60 42% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,065 32% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton 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% MA: 10% |
27%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
41.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #281 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Holyoke · Springfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Holyoke High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
12.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.