Compare towns
Lawrence vs New Bedford vs Everett 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
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
New Bedford has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Everett has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Fall River has the oldest population (median age 39.3).
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 | New Bedford | Everett | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736 |
100,998Highest |
50,045Lowest |
94,082 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
39.3±1.2Highest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and New Bedford 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% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Fall River and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Lawrence 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 |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.6% MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
35.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Everett | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | New Bedford High | Everett High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
13.5 |
12.1 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.