Compare towns
Fall River vs Lawrence vs Shirley
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%).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Shirley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
88,736 |
6,976Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Shirley 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% |
36.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley 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 |
$122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$427,600±$36kHighest 24% below MA |
| Shirley and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
| Lawrence and Shirley 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 |
$5,156Highest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Shirley 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% |
9.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lawrence | Ayer Shirley 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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| 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.