Compare towns
Fall River vs Townsend vs Sutton 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 people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Townsend | Sutton | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
9,100Lowest |
9,452 |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Sutton and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Townsend 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% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Townsend 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±$23k 17% above MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Sutton and Townsend 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 |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
| Lawrence and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | North Middlesex | Sutton | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | North Middlesex Regional | Sutton High School | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
13.1 |
12.6 |
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.