Compare towns
Fall River vs Springfield vs Westport
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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Westport has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Springfield | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
154,749Highest |
16,484Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
50.7±1.8Highest 27% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
29.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3k 45% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,425±$356Highest 19% below MA |
| Westport and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Highest 34% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$3,719 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±19.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
82.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Westport and Springfield 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Springfield | Westport |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Springfield Central High | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.2Highest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.