Compare towns
Freetown vs Fall River vs Somerset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freetown has the highest household income ($144k).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Somerset has the most people working from home (12%).
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 | Freetown | Fall River | Somerset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,285Lowest |
94,082Highest |
18,298 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
47±2.2Highest 18% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Freetown and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.3%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Somerset 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 | $143,884±$15kHighest 38% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$112,677±$6k 8% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $518,200±$30kHighest 8% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$418,800±$18k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,271±$93 28% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,188Highest 13% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,977 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±12.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Somerset and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.7%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Somerset and Freetown 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 | #161 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #132 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Freetown-Lakeville | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Somerset Berkley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.