Compare towns

Fall River vs Maynard vs New Bedford

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).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% under 18).

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 RiverMaynardNew Bedford
People
Population
94,082
10,712Lowest
100,998Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.8%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+6.3%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
39.3±1.2
about the MA average
45.3±4.3Highest
13% above MA
37±0.8Lowest
8% below MA
Kids under 18
19.9%±1.2
MA: 19.4%
16.9%±4.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
23.9%±1.2Highest
MA: 19.4%
Age 65+
16.1%±0.9
MA: 17.9%
18.2%±3.3Highest
MA: 17.9%
15.4%±0.9Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Maynard 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%
64.2%Highest
MA: 47.3%
17%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±0.6Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.5%±1.5Lowest
MA: 7.9%
4.1%±0.5Highest
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$56,673±$3kLowest
45% below MA
$124,067±$16kHighest
19% above MA
$56,981±$3k
45% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$395,500±$11k
30% below MA
$527,400±$31kHighest
6% below MA
$357,300±$6kLowest
36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,155±$27
34% below MA
$1,800±$148Highest
about the MA average
$1,137±$26Lowest
35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,953Lowest
34% below MA
$8,266Highest
38% above MA
$4,338
28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.5%±3.3
MA: 51.8%
44.9%±9.6Lowest
MA: 51.8%
52.6%±3.2Highest
MA: 51.8%
New Bedford and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
19.6%
MA: 10%
8.3%Lowest
MA: 10%
20.6%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
35.3%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
75%Highest
MA: 62.5%
40.3%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945
19 yrs older than MA
1963Highest
1 yr older than MA
1938Lowest
26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 min
11% below MA
32 minHighest
9% above MA
25 minLowest
15% below MA
Work from home
7.1%±1.2
MA: 18.6%
22.9%±7.7Highest
MA: 18.6%
5.4%±0.9Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #262 of 282 in MA #166 of 282 in MA #263 of 282 in MA
School district Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical Maynard New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town B M C Durfee High Maynard High New Bedford High
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3
9.7Lowest
13.5Highest
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.