02720 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02720
02721
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 9%
vs25 · Bottom 5%
Growth
42 · Bottom 37%
vs42 · Bottom 37%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 19%
vs46 · Bottom 10%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs40 · Bottom 35%
Access
95 · Top 39%
vs96 · Top 35%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 36%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | 02720 | 02721 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,940 | 26,521 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,196 | $52,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,943 | $31,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,347/sq mi | 6,592/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $398,000 | $406,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,230 | $1,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 37.5% | 34.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 60 | 60 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.7% | 1.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.9" | 45.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 28.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 40.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.20 | 12.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.8% | 18.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.2% | 31.5% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
02720
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
02721
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 02720 — Fall River, MA · 02721 — Fall River, MA · How this is calculated: methodology