Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fall River, MA
VS
Fishers, IN
🏆 Fishers leads 16 of 23 categories
Fall River
Massachusetts
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$52,734
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High
Population
93,638
Fishers
Indiana
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fall River, MA
Pros
Rent averages $458/mo less ($1,020 vs $1,478)
Smaller class sizes — 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $73,814/yr
Violent crime (742.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 2.5%)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Fishers
Fishers, IN
Pros
Households earn $73,814 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than Fall River
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.9 pts lower (2.5%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,478/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Fall River
Median Home Value
$11k less
$328,100 vs $339,000
Fishers
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$73,814
$126,548 vs $52,734/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
90% lower
72.9 vs 742.9 per 100k
Fishers
Unemployment
5.9 pp lower
2.5% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fall River, MA | Fishers, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $328,100⚠ High ✓ Lower | $339,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 ✓ Lower | $1,478⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,734 | $126,548 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 2.5% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 26.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 5.9% | 18.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 144⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 195⚠ High | 19 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 65.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.7% | 98.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fall River | Hamilton Southeastern Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer | 34.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.2" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.1" | 26.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 93,638 | 99,041 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 35.9% | 77.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fall River's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Fishers's 94.6 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 16 of 23 categories. Fall River wins 7 and Fishers wins 16. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Fall River to Fishers or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($328,100 vs $339,000 median home), income ($52,734 vs $126,548), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fall River, MA and Fishers, IN are about 786 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.