Compare towns

Fall River vs Mashpee vs Lawrence

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).
Mashpee has the most homeowners (81.9%).
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 RiverMashpeeLawrence
People
Population
94,082Highest
15,384Lowest
88,736
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+7.5%
MA: +7.4%
+16.7%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
39.3±1.2
about the MA average
55.9±1.8Highest
40% above MA
32.6±0.9Lowest
19% below MA
Kids under 18
19.9%±1.2
MA: 19.4%
14.7%±2.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
26.3%±1.6Highest
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
16.1%±0.9
MA: 17.9%
33.1%±2.9Highest
MA: 17.9%
10.5%±0.9Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
16.4%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
44.3%Highest
MA: 47.3%
16.8%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±0.6Lowest
MA: 7.9%
4.5%±1.4
MA: 7.9%
5.4%±0.8Highest
MA: 7.9%
Lawrence and Mashpee 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
$95,299±$13kHighest
8% below MA
$60,433±$3k
42% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$395,500±$11kLowest
30% below MA
$562,200±$29kHighest
about the MA average
$415,200±$23k
26% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,155±$27Lowest
34% below MA
$1,776±$330Highest
about the MA average
$1,662±$50
6% below MA
Mashpee and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,953Highest
34% below MA
$3,762
37% below MA
$3,422Lowest
43% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.5%±3.3
MA: 51.8%
44.7%±14.5Lowest
MA: 51.8%
60.6%±3.6Highest
MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line
19.6%Highest
MA: 10%
5.5%Lowest
MA: 10%
17.6%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
35.3%
MA: 62.5%
81.9%Highest
MA: 62.5%
28.1%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945Lowest
19 yrs older than MA
1988Highest
24 yrs newer than MA
1950
14 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
11% below MA
27 minHighest
6% below MA
23 minLowest
21% below MA
Work from home
7.1%±1.2
MA: 18.6%
14.5%±3Highest
MA: 18.6%
6.8%±1.2Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #262 of 282 in MA #100 of 282 in MA #278 of 282 in MA
School district Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical Mashpee Lawrence
High school in town B M C Durfee High Mashpee Middle-High School Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3
9.6Lowest
13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.