Compare towns
Fall River vs Nelson vs Lynn vs Lawrence
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Lynn has the most expensive homes ($510k median).
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.
| Measure | Fall River | Nelson | Lynn | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
648Lowest |
101,709Highest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
42.3±11.7Highest 9% above U.S. |
36.5±1.2 6% below U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Nelson 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 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.7%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$75,043±$3k 7% below U.S. |
$60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
| Nelson and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$510,100±$23kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,722±$60Highest 22% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
| Lynn and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$5,384 73% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±4.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1946 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | — | #277 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Nelson School District | Lynn | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Lynn English High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 15.0Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.