Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fall River, MA
VS
Providence, RI
🏆 Providence leads 16 of 22 categories
Fall River
Massachusetts
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$52,734
Violent Crime Index
195⚠ High
Population
93,638
Providence
Rhode Island
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,365 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
189,715 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fall River, MA
Pros
Rent averages $194/mo less ($1,020 vs $1,214)
Smaller class sizes — 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (742.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Providence by $8,631/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $328,100
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 7.2%)
Providence, RI
Pros
63% less violent crime than Fall River
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (7.2%)
More college-educated — 34.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,631 more per year on average
Homes cost $35k less ($293,000 vs $328,100)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 100.9 on the COL index
Providence
Median Income
$8,631
$61,365 vs $52,734/yr
Providence
Violent Crime
63% lower
276.7 vs 742.9 per 100k
Providence
Median Home Value
$35k less
$293,000 vs $328,100
Providence
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
7.2% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fall River, MA | Providence, RI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $328,100⚠ High | $293,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 ✓ Lower | $1,214 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,734 | $61,365 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 7.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 24.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 5.9% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 144⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 195⚠ High | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 34.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 75.7% | 82.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fall River | Providence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.2" | 47.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.1" | 36.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 93,638 | 189,715 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 32.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 35.9% | 39.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 20.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fall River's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Providence's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Providence leads 16 of 22 categories. Fall River wins 6 and Providence 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 Providence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($328,100 vs $293,000 median home), income ($52,734 vs $61,365), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fall River, MA and Providence, RI are about 18 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.