Compare towns
Fall River vs Lawrence vs Methuen
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 affordable homes ($396k median).
Lawrence has the most kids (26.3% under 18).
Methuen has the most homeowners (72.3%).
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 | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
88,736 |
53,475Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
39.9±1.7Highest about the MA average |
| Methuen 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% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Methuen and Fall River 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% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
31%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Methuen 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 45% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
| Methuen and Lawrence 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 |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,061Highest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Methuen |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
13.6Highest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.