Compare towns
Fall River vs Putnam 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).
Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).
Lawrence has the most kids (26.3% 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 | Putnam | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
9,292Lowest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam and Fall River 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% |
20%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lawrence and Fall River 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. |
$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$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±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Highest 27% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putnam 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Putnam School District | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Putnam High School | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
9.5Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.