Compare towns
New Bedford vs Acushnet vs Fall River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
Acushnet has the most homeowners (85.3%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | New Bedford | Acushnet | Fall River |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 100,998Highest |
10,624Lowest |
94,082 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
46±2.8Highest 15% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.3%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17% MA: 47.3% |
26.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
$89,503±$9kHighest 14% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$436,400±$34kHighest 22% below MA |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
| Acushnet and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,170±$354Highest 34% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
| Acushnet and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,338 28% below MA |
$4,647Highest 22% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
6%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 40.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
28 minHighest 4% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Acushnet and Fall River 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 | #263 of 282 in MA | #118 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA |
| School district | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Acushnet | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | New Bedford High | None in town | B M C Durfee High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
| 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.