Compare towns
Fall River vs Lawrence vs Mapleton vs North Westport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Mapleton has the most people working from home (10.8%).
North Westport has the oldest population (median age 44.7).
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 | Mapleton | North Westport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
88,736 |
1,884Lowest |
5,289 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
44.7±2.8Highest 15% above U.S. |
| North Westport and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mapleton and North Westport 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Westport and Lawrence 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 30% below U.S. |
$60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$87,582±$17k 8% above U.S. |
| Mapleton and North Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$411,300±$53k 24% above U.S. |
| Lawrence and North Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,662±$723Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Highest 27% above U.S. |
$3,422 10% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$2,806 10% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.3%±40.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Westport and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mapleton and Fall River 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.