Compare towns
Fall River vs West Bath vs Somerset
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
West Bath has the most people working from home (17.1%).
Somerset has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | West Bath | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
1,863Lowest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
47±2.2 21% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Fall River and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.3%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Somerset 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% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Bath and Somerset 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 30% below U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
$112,677±$6kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Somerset and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$418,800±$18k 26% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Somerset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,155±$27 18% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,271±$93Highest 10% below U.S. |
| Somerset and Fall River 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. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,977Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Bath and Somerset 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 | — | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | West Bath Public Schools | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | None in town | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.