Compare towns
Fall River vs Westfield 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Westfield has the most homeowners (68.6%).
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 | Westfield | Lawrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 94,082Highest |
40,378Lowest |
88,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
39.9±1.8Highest about the MA average |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
| Westfield 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% |
18.1%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
33.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$87,753±$6kHighest 16% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$325,100±$11kLowest 42% below MA |
$415,200±$23kHighest 26% below MA |
| Lawrence and Fall River 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 |
$1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,953 34% below MA |
$4,746Highest 21% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
10.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.3% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
27 minHighest 9% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
8.6%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Westfield and Fall River 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 | #197 of 282 in MA | #278 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Westfield | Lawrence |
| High school in town | B M C Durfee High | Westfield High | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.9 |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.