Compare towns
Fall River vs Petersham vs New Bedford
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 renters (64.7% rent).
Petersham has the most homeowners (94.2%).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
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 | Petersham | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
1,185Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
$392,400±$20k 30% below MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Fall River and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,636Highest 23% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Bedford and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
8.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | — | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Petersham | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.