Compare towns
Harvard vs Fall River vs Topsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Topsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Harvard | Fall River | Topsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,927 |
94,082Highest |
6,564Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
42.2±1.8 6% above MA |
| Harvard and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
71.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fall River and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$195,718±$16k 88% above MA |
| Harvard and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $833,600±$54k 48% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
| Topsfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
| Harvard and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±8.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #12 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #172 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Harvard | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Topsfield |
| High school in town | The Bromfield High School | B M C Durfee High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.3Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 12 photos → | 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.