Compare towns

Fall River vs Lyme vs Lawrence

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).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).

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 RiverLymeLawrence
People
Population
94,082Highest
1,710Lowest
88,736
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39.3±1.2
about the U.S. average
48.6±7.8Highest
25% above U.S.
32.6±0.9Lowest
16% below U.S.
Kids under 18
19.9%±1.2
U.S.: 22%
19.5%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
26.3%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
16.1%±0.9
U.S.: 17.2%
26.5%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
10.5%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
16.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
70.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
16.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±0.6
U.S.: 6.4%
3.3%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±0.8Highest
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.
$133,906±$15kHighest
66% above U.S.
$60,433±$3k
25% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$395,500±$11kLowest
19% above U.S.
$645,000±$64kHighest
94% above U.S.
$415,200±$23k
25% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,155±$27Lowest
18% below U.S.
$1,418±$130
about the U.S. average
$1,662±$50Highest
18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,953
27% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$3,422Lowest
10% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.5%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±29.8
U.S.: 51.1%
60.6%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Lawrence and Lyme 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%
4.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
17.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
35.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
80.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
28.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1950
30 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minHighest
about the U.S. average
21 minLowest
21% below U.S.
23 min
13% below U.S.
Work from home
7.1%±1.2
U.S.: 15.1%
27.2%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
6.8%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #262 of 282 in MA — #278 of 282 in MA
School district Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical Lyme School District Lawrence
High school in town B M C Durfee High None in town Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3Lowest
—
13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.