Compare towns
Hadley vs Fall River vs Essex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Essex has the most expensive homes ($897k median).
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 | Hadley | Fall River | Essex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,306 |
94,082Highest |
3,701Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
45±3.4 13% above MA |
| Hadley and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±6.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Essex and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
69%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$157,147±$24kHighest 51% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43k 9% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$897,400±$59kHighest 60% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,964±$238Highest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271 12% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±23.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
26 minHighest 11% below MA |
25 min 14% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
23.6%±7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Essex and Hadley 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #93 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Manchester Essex Regional |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
11.3Highest |
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| 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.