Compare towns
Fall River vs Ware vs Everett 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).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Ware | Everett | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 94,082 |
10,048Lowest |
50,045 |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Ware 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%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Everett 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Everett and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$357,300±$6k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
40.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Everett 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Ware | Everett | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Everett High | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.1Lowest |
12.1 |
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.