Compare towns
Lawrence vs Fall River vs Chelsea
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Fall River has the most homeowners (35.3%).
Chelsea has the most people working from home (10.4%).
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 | Fall River | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736 |
94,082Highest |
39,908Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
39.3±1.2Highest about the MA average |
34.4±1.3 14% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.4%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
22.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Chelsea 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 |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$72,179±$8kHighest 31% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$493,500±$24kHighest 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,956±$96Highest 11% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 43% below MA |
$3,953Highest 34% below MA |
$3,321Lowest 45% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.4%±5.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
20.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
26%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1941Lowest 23 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Chelsea and Fall River 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 | #280 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Chelsea |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | B M C Durfee High | Chelsea High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.3Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.