The Town FilesFall River, Massachusetts
City in Bristol County · population 94,000 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $395,500
- Household income
- $56,673
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 39.3
Fall River is a city of 94,000 people in Bristol County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $395,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks more walkable than 97% of Massachusetts towns, more vibrant than 95% of Massachusetts towns, hipper than 80% of Massachusetts towns.
How Fall River ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fall River is worth $395,500, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 7.0 times the median household income of $56,673, which is more affordable than 9% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,155 a month. 35.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fall River | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $395,500 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,155 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $56,673 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 35.3% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Fall River
| People | Fall River | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Fall River
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 20.7°F. About 45.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.1 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 123 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fall River since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 23, 2008 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 23, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 14 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 18, 2012.
Severe weather in Bristol County since 1996
Bristol County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| April 18, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4651: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Bristol County
Bristol County had 227,971 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,669 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Fall River itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Fall River
21 public schools with 13,930 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| B M C Durfee High | 9-12 | 2,435 | 10.8 |
| Diman Regional Vocational Technical High | 9-12 | 1,443 | 10.1 |
| Atlantis Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 1,257 | 12.6 |
| Henry Lord Community School | PK-8 | 797 | 11.4 |
| William S Greene | PK-5 | 749 | 16.3 |
| Morton Middle | 6-8 | 714 | 13.0 |
| Carlton M. Viveiros Elementary School | K-5 | 697 | 14.8 |
| Matthew J Kuss Middle | 6-8 | 694 | 11.6 |
| North End Elementary | PK-5 | 654 | 13.6 |
| Mary Fonseca Elementary School | PK-5 | 632 | 15.4 |
| Letourneau Elementary School | K-5 | 618 | 13.7 |
| Spencer Borden | PK-5 | 578 | 14.1 |
Towns near Fall River
- North Westport, MA3.7 mi · 4,720 people · home $411,300
- Somerset, MA3.8 mi · 18,303 people · home $418,800
- Freetown, MA5.4 mi · 9,206 people · home $518,200
- Ocean Grove, MA5.9 mi · 2,904 people · home $362,200
- Swansea, MA6.6 mi · 17,144 people · home $445,000
- Smith Mills, MA7.3 mi · 4,832 people · home $420,400
- Tiverton, RI7.4 mi · 7,809 people · home $407,200
- Dighton, MA7.8 mi · 8,101 people · home $501,900
Fall River questions
Is Fall River, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fall River scores better for retirees than 2% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 3%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Fall River?
The median owner-occupied home in Fall River is valued at $395,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,673, so homes cost about 7.0 times income. Median rent is $1,155 a month.
What is the weather like in Fall River?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 20.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.9 inches of precipitation a year and 38.1 inches of snow.
Does Fall River get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fall River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 23, 2008. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)