Compare towns
Fall River vs Upton vs Thompson vs New Bedford
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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
New Bedford has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Upton | Thompson | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
8,189Lowest |
9,337 |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
37±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Bedford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
17% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3k 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 19% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27Highest 18% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344 28% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26 20% below U.S. |
| Fall River and New Bedford 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,338 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Thompson 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Thompson School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Blackstone Valley | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2 |
7.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.