Compare towns

Fall River vs Lawrence vs Rye

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 most affordable homes ($396k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Rye has the most people working from home (30.9%).

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.

MeasureFall RiverLawrenceRye
People
Population
94,082Highest
88,736
5,611Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39.3±1.2
about the U.S. average
32.6±0.9Lowest
16% below U.S.
55.1±3Highest
42% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.9%±1.2
U.S.: 22%
26.3%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.2%±4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
16.1%±0.9
U.S.: 17.2%
10.5%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
31.7%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
16.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
16.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
61.5%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%
2.2%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Lawrence and Fall River 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.
$140,655±$39kHighest
74% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$395,500±$11kLowest
19% above U.S.
$415,200±$23k
25% above U.S.
$1,028,100±$89kHighest
209% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,155±$27Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,662±$50
18% above U.S.
$1,781±$156Highest
26% above U.S.
Rye 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.
$7,519Highest
141% 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%
44.3%±16.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
19.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
17.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
35.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
28.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
85.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1950
30 yrs older than U.S.
1972Highest
8 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
about the U.S. average
23 minLowest
13% below U.S.
29 minHighest
9% above U.S.
Work from home
7.1%±1.2
U.S.: 15.1%
6.8%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
30.9%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #262 of 282 in MA #278 of 282 in MA #2 of 120 in NH
School district Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical Lawrence Rye School District
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
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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.