Compare towns
Holyoke vs Easthampton vs Fall River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | Holyoke | Easthampton | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813 |
16,086Lowest |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6 about the MA average |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% MA: 47.3% |
38%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton 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 | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$71,673±$7kHighest 31% below MA |
$56,673±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$371,500±$15k 34% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
| Fall River and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 32% below MA |
$4,932Highest 18% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
26 minHighest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #281 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Easthampton | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Easthampton High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.3 |
| 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.