Compare towns
Fall River vs Pepperell vs Plainfield
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 most renters (64.7% rent).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Pepperell | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
11,663Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
42.4±3.3Highest 9% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Pepperell 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%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pepperell and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pepperell and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell and Plainfield 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. |
$124,073±$12kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,295±$238Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Pepperell and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fall River and Pepperell 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% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.