Compare towns
Lawrence vs Putnam vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Putnam has the most homeowners (59.8%).
New Bedford has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Putnam | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736 |
9,292Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Putnam 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$56,981±$3kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$3,860 24% above U.S. |
$4,338Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putnam and Lawrence 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Putnam School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Putnam High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
9.5Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.