Compare towns
New Bedford vs Upton vs Fall River vs Lynn
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 affordable homes ($357k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Upton | Fall River | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 100,998 |
8,189Lowest |
94,082 |
101,709Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37±0.8 8% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.3±1.2 about the MA average |
36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lynn and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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+ | 17% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$75,043±$3k 28% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$395,500±$11k 30% below MA |
$510,100±$23k 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$26 35% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,722±$60Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,338 28% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,384 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lynn and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6% MA: 10% |
13.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 40.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
48.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
32 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #263 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Lynn |
| High school in town | New Bedford High | Blackstone Valley | B M C Durfee High | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
11.2Lowest |
11.3 |
15.0Highest |
| 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.