Compare towns
Fall River vs Lawrence vs North Reading
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
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 | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
88,736 |
15,765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
43±2.8Highest 8% above MA |
| North Reading 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% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| North Reading 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% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and North Reading 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 |
$147,768±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading 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 MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | North Reading |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
13.6Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| 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.