Compare towns
Lawrence vs Williston vs Andover vs Fall River
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).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Andover has the most expensive homes ($856k median).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
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 | Williston | Andover | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736 |
10,144Lowest |
36,652 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.9±1 10% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Williston and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.6%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Andover 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Williston 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 25% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,953 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #68 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | 12.8 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.