Compare towns
Fall River vs Upton vs Webster 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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Webster | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
8,189Lowest |
17,748 |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Upton and Webster 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% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Webster 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Webster 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,999 33% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
40.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Webster | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Blackstone Valley | Bartlett High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
11.6 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.