Compare towns
Lowell vs Fall River vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most people working from home (10.6%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
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 | Lowell | Fall River | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
94,082Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 11% below MA |
39.3±1.2Highest about the MA average |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 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+ | 30%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4kHighest 24% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kHighest 24% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40Highest 8% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Highest 25% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Bedford and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
40.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Highest 11 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Lowell High | B M C Durfee High | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.3Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.