Compare towns
Fall River vs Lynn vs Norwell
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).
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Norwell has the most people working from home (27.1%).
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 | Lynn | Norwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
101,709Highest |
11,361Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Highest about the MA average |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
39.2±1.4 about the MA average |
| Fall River and Norwell 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% |
24.1%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
28.5%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Norwell and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
69.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$75,043±$3k 28% below MA |
$188,699±$25kHighest 82% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
$865,700±$35kHighest 54% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,722±$60 about the MA average |
$2,215±$336Highest 26% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1 MA: 51.8% |
67.1%±24.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Norwell 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 MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
35 minHighest 21% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
27.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA | #80 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lynn | Norwell |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lynn English High | Norwell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
15.0Highest |
11.7 |
| 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.