Compare towns
Sullivan vs Fall River vs Nelson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($237k median).
Fall River has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Sullivan | Fall River | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 687 |
94,082Highest |
648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.6±6.5Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
| Sullivan and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fall River and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,667±$20kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$56,673±$3kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
| Sullivan and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,500±$29kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$395,500±$11kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
| Fall River and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,225±$275Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,155±$27Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
| Sullivan and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099 63% above U.S. |
$3,953Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±84.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fall River and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.2%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #262 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Nelson School District |
| High school 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 |
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.