Compare towns
Fall River vs Upton vs Westport 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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Westport has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Upton | Westport | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
8,189Lowest |
16,484 |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50.7±1.8Highest 27% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Westport and Upton 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% |
16.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence 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%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Westport 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 MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.7% MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Westport and Lawrence 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 |
$96,000±$9k 8% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$521,900±$38k 7% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
| Upton and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,425±$356 19% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
| Lawrence and Westport 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,719 38% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±19.8 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.9% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #262 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #195 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Westport | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Blackstone Valley | Westport Middle-High School | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2Lowest |
11.5 |
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.