Compare towns
Fall River vs Putnam vs Windsor Locks vs New Bedford
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).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Putnam | Windsor Locks | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
9,292Lowest |
12,579 |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam and Windsor Locks 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17% 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% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,338Highest 39% 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% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Putnam School District | Windsor Locks School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Putnam High School | Windsor Locks High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
9.5 |
8.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.