Compare towns
Lawrence vs Windham vs Dracut 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).
Windham has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Dracut has the oldest population (median age 41.7).
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 | Windham | Dracut | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736 |
16,038Lowest |
32,574 |
94,082Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
41.7±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Dracut and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Lawrence 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% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dracut and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lawrence and Dracut 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$114,036±$10k 41% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23k 25% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$473,900±$17k 42% above U.S. |
$395,500±$11kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,839±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,375 72% above U.S. |
$3,953 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #278 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #201 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Windham School District | Dracut | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Windham High School | Dracut Senior High | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
12.8 |
12.9 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.