Compare towns
Fall River vs Shirley vs Lynn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Shirley | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
6,976Lowest |
101,709Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
44.3±3.4Highest 11% above MA |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Shirley 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 MA: 47.3% |
36.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Lynn 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 45% below MA |
$122,365±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$75,043±$3k 28% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$427,600±$36k 24% below MA |
$510,100±$23kHighest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,481±$421 16% below MA |
$1,722±$60Highest about the MA average |
| Lynn and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,156 14% below MA |
$5,384Highest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
9.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
40 minHighest 39% above MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #239 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Ayer Shirley School District | Lynn |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 15.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.