Compare towns
Fall River vs Lynn 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).
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Townsend has the most homeowners (82%).
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 | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
101,709Highest |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average |
| Townsend and Fall River 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%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Townsend 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% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Lynn and Townsend 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 |
$75,043±$3k 28% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$510,100±$23kHighest 9% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,722±$60Highest about the MA average |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Lynn 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 |
$5,384 10% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend and Lynn 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 | #277 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lynn | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Lynn English High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
15.0Highest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.