Compare towns
Fall River vs Salem vs Somerset
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%).
Somerset has the most homeowners (86.9%).
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 | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
30,964 |
18,298Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
47±2.2Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Fall River and Somerset 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% |
18.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Somerset and Salem 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±$9k 37% above U.S. |
$112,677±$6kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$418,800±$18k 26% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,271±$93 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$4,977 60% 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% |
58.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somerset 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salem and Somerset 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Salem School District | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Salem High School | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.