Compare towns
Fall River vs North Reading vs Reading 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).
North Reading has the most homeowners (84.3%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | North Reading | Reading | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
15,765Lowest |
25,612 |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
43±2.8 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Reading and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Reading 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% |
16.7%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading and North Reading 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% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and North Reading 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 |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Reading and North Reading 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 |
$710,500±$24k 26% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
| North Reading and Reading 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 |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Lawrence 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% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and North Reading 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 | #33 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | North Reading | Reading | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | North Reading High | Reading Memorial High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
10.1Lowest |
12.1 |
13.6Highest |
| 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.