Compare towns
Fall River vs Sutton vs Sturbridge vs Lawrence
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 affordable homes ($396k median).
Sutton has the most expensive homes ($523k median).
Sturbridge has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
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 | Sutton | Sturbridge | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
9,452Lowest |
9,960 |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge and Sutton 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% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Sturbridge 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 |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Sutton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sutton and Sturbridge 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Sutton | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Sutton High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
12.6 |
7.7Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.