Compare towns
Fall River vs Thompson vs Somerset
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).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Somerset has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Thompson | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
9,337Lowest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
47±2.2 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Fall River and Somerset 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% |
24.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Somerset and Thompson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Somerset and Fall River 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±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$112,677±$6kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$418,800±$18kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,271±$93Highest 10% below U.S. |
| Somerset and Fall River 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. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,977Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somerset and Thompson 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thompson and Somerset 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 | #130 of 149 in CT | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Thompson School District | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
7.9Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| 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.