Compare towns
Lawrence vs Buzzards Bay vs Fall River vs Methuen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most kids (26.3% under 18).
Buzzards Bay has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Methuen has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Lawrence | Buzzards Bay | Fall River | Methuen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736 |
2,909Lowest |
94,082Highest |
53,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
39.9±1.7 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Methuen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$113,310±$7kHighest 9% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$499,700±$17kHighest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,749±$91Highest about the MA average |
| Methuen and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 43% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$5,061Highest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
48.4%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6% MA: 10% |
7.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Buzzards Bay and Methuen 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | — | #262 of 282 in MA | #236 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | — | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Methuen |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | — | B M C Durfee High | Methuen High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.