Compare towns
Fall River vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Somerset has the oldest population (median age 47).
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 | Needham | Lawrence | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
32,459 |
88,736 |
18,298Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% 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 |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
47±2.2Highest 18% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Lawrence 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% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%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% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,271±$93 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.1% 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 |
1965Highest 1 yr 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 |
28 min 5% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 minHighest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Needham | Lawrence | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Needham High | Lawrence High School | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.9 |
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.