Compare towns
Fall River vs Pawtucket 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 population (median age 39.3).
Pawtucket has the most homeowners (50.1%).
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 | Pawtucket | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
75,893Lowest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Highest about the U.S. average |
37.1±0.8 5% below U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fall River and Pawtucket 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawtucket and Lawrence 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 30% below U.S. |
$68,310±$4kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
$415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Lawrence and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,208±$39 15% below U.S. |
$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$4,115Highest 32% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1950Highest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawtucket and Fall River 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 | #35 of 38 in RI | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | William E. Tolman High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.