Compare towns
Fall River vs Mashpee vs Lawrence vs Somerset
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 expensive homes ($562k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Somerset has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Mashpee | Lawrence | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
15,384Lowest |
88,736 |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest 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 |
47±2.2 18% above 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% |
18.9%±2.4 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% |
25.3%±3.2 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% |
37.6% 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% |
4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Somerset 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±$13k 8% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$112,677±$6kHighest 8% above MA |
| Somerset and Mashpee 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 |
$562,200±$29kHighest about the MA average |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,776±$330Highest about the MA average |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,271±$93 28% 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 | $3,953 34% below MA |
$3,762 37% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,977Highest 17% 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% |
58.3%±12.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Somerset 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% |
5.5% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
81.9% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest 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 |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Mashpee and Somerset 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 | #100 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Mashpee | Lawrence | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Mashpee Middle-High School | Lawrence High School | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
9.6Lowest |
13.6Highest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.