Compare towns
Fall River vs Salem vs Westport
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%).
Westport has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
30,964 |
16,484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
50.7±1.8Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Fall River and Westport 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% |
24.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westport 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±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$96,000±$9k 19% above U.S. |
| Salem and Westport 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±$16k 42% above U.S. |
$521,900±$38kHighest 57% above U.S. |
| Westport and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,425±$356 about the U.S. average |
| Salem and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 27% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$3,719Lowest 19% 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% |
52.9%±19.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westport 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #38 of 120 in NH | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Salem School District | Westport |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Salem High School | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.