What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fall River has the most kids (19.9% under 18).

Thompson has the most homeowners (84.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fall River	Thompson
People
Population	94,082Highest	9,337Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average	54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22%	11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	21.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Fall River and Thompson 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.	$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$395,500±$11kHighest 19% above U.S.	$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,155±$27Highest 18% below U.S.	$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S.
	Fall River and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,953Highest 27% above U.S.	$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Thompson 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%	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.	1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#262 of 282 in MA	#130 of 149 in CT
School district	Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical	Thompson School District
High school in town	B M C Durfee High	Tourtellotte Memorial High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	7.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.