What it's like to live in Fall River
Fall River is a smaller city in Massachusetts with rent below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, several well-rated hospitals, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fall River deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Clean air
- Several well-rated hospitals
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Fall River compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fall River
Based on Fall River's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,310
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $46,200 a year
- 50% of Fall River renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$79,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,550
- Homes cost 7.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 18% below US
$1,155/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,155 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $395,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $395,500 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 47% above US
6.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.3%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 133% above US
768 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 1550/100k · Fall River Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.8 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 54% below US
16% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
21 public schools inside the boundary
There are 21 public schools inside the boundary and 10 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park (11 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fall River's strongest points are rent below the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,155/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
See all the data for Fall River →·All Massachusetts cities →
Other places near Fall River
All Massachusetts guides →Moving to Somerset →
4 mi away · pop. 18,298
Rent $1,271/mo · Income $112,677
Compare with Fall River →Moving to New Bedford →
9 mi away · pop. 100,998
Rent $1,137/mo · Income $56,981
Compare with Fall River →Moving to Attleboro →
18 mi away · pop. 46,762
Rent $1,590/mo · Income $98,954
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