Compare towns
Fall River vs Townsend vs New Bedford
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).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
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 | Townsend | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082 |
9,100Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
40.9±3.3Highest about the MA average |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Townsend and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Townsend 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% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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 45% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Townsend and Fall River 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Bedford 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% MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Townsend and Fall River 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | North Middlesex Regional | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
13.1 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.