Compare towns
Lawrence vs Williston vs Fall River vs Lowell
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 kids (26.3% under 18).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Fall River | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736 |
10,144Lowest |
94,082 |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% 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% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3k 25% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$429,200±$11k 29% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,625±$40 15% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,953 27% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #262 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lowell |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | None in town | B M C Durfee High | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
— | 11.3Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.