Compare towns
Holyoke vs Springfield 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 people working from home (11.1%).
Springfield has the most homeowners (49.6%).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Holyoke | Springfield | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Lowest |
154,749Highest |
94,082 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Highest about the MA average |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
| Holyoke and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3k 48% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$56,673±$3kHighest 45% below MA |
| Fall River and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8k 51% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$395,500±$11kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,155±$27Highest 34% below MA |
| Fall River and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065Highest 32% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
25.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
20 min 31% below MA |
26 minHighest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Holyoke and Springfield 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Springfield | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Springfield Central High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
12.2 |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.