Compare towns
Fall River vs Lunenburg vs Townsend
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 renters (64.7% rent).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Lunenburg | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
11,902 |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.2±2.1Highest 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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% |
44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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 |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$463,900±$24kHighest 17% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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 |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,401Highest 7% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Townsend 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% |
4.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lunenburg | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lunenburg High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.4 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.