Compare towns
Marion vs Fall River vs Weweantic vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marion has the most expensive homes ($654k median).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Weweantic has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
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 | Marion | Fall River | Weweantic | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,310 |
94,082Highest |
1,452Lowest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
44.4±13.9 11% above MA |
50.5±3 26% above MA |
| Marion and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Fall River and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
30.6% MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
10.1%±8.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Weweantic and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$62,481±$39k 40% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| Marion and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$420,800±$42k 25% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516 33% below MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
— | $1,200±$484Highest 32% below MA |
| Ashby and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766 4% below MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,764Lowest 37% below MA |
$6,034Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
0%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.7% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Marion and Ashby 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | — | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | B M C Durfee High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.