Compare towns
Fall River vs Lawrence vs Ludlow
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).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Ludlow has the most homeowners (77.5%).
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 | Lawrence | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
88,736 |
20,904Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Ludlow 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 |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$84,838±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA |
$335,300±$10kLowest 40% 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±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,223±$82 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,918Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
6.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 11% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Ludlow |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
13.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.