Compare towns
Fall River vs Salem 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).
Salem has the most people working from home (16.3%).
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 | Salem | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
30,964Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
37±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem 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% |
38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem 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. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$357,300±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$4,338 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Salem School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Salem High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.