Compare towns
Fall River vs Lawrence vs Putnam vs Lynn
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 the most renters (71.9% rent).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Lynn has the most expensive homes ($510k median).
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 | Putnam | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
88,736 |
9,292Lowest |
101,709Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
36.5±1.2 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Lynn 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% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.7%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$75,043±$3kHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Lynn and Putnam 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±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$510,100±$23kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,722±$60Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Lynn and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$5,384Highest 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Lynn 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% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1946 34 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putnam and Lynn 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Putnam School District | Lynn |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lawrence High School | Putnam High School | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
13.6 |
9.5Lowest |
15.0Highest |
| 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.