Compare towns
Fall River vs Holyoke vs Wareham
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).
Wareham has the most homeowners (83.5%).
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 | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
37,813 |
23,302Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
-4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
40±1.6 about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke 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% |
20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.9% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Fall River 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 |
$90,383±$11kHighest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
| Wareham 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 |
$1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,065 32% below MA |
$4,341Highest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Holyoke 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% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
41.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Holyoke 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 | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Holyoke · Springfield | Wareham |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Holyoke High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
12.5Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.