Fall River, MA vs Washington, DC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Washington, DC has a modeled overall cost index 11.7% higher than Fall River, MA.

Fall River, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,525 / month
Washington, DC · modeled 2BR rent: $2,470 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Fall River, MA and Washington, DC using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Fall River, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,512/month in Washington, DC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $168,146 in Washington, DC

Regional cost estimates: Fall River, MA uses Boston, MA. Washington, DC uses Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 11.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,512

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$18.1K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Fall River, MA

Population:94K

Cost Index:

136.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$429K

Washington, DC

Population:690K

Cost Index:

152.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$556K

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Fall River, MA

The Bay State

94K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Massachusetts, this city has a population of 94K residents.

Washington, DC

The District of Columbia

690K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Nations capital
•No voting representation in Congress
•Major international city

Major Industries

GovernmentProfessional ServicesTourismEducation

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Fall River, MA vs Washington, DC

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Fall River, MA	Washington, DC	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,220/mo	$4,611/mo	↑ $1,391more	43.2%
Transportation	$1,241/mo	$1,399/mo	↑ $158more	12.7%
All Utilities	$508/mo	$377/mo	↓ $131less	25.7%
Other	$1,237/mo	$1,355/mo	↑ $117more	9.5%
Healthcare	$528/mo	$469/mo	↓ $58.40less	11.1%
Groceries	$766/mo	$801/mo	↑ $35.40more	4.6%

Housing

↑ 43.2%

Fall River, MA

$3,220

Washington, DC

$4,611

Difference

$1,391

Transportation

↑ 12.7%

Fall River, MA

$1,241

Washington, DC

$1,399

Difference

$158

All Utilities

↓ 25.7%

Fall River, MA

$508

Washington, DC

$377

Difference

$131

less

Other

↑ 9.5%

Fall River, MA

$1,237

Washington, DC

$1,355

Difference

$117

Healthcare

↓ 11.1%

Fall River, MA

$528

Washington, DC

$469

Difference

$58.40

less

Groceries

↑ 4.6%

Fall River, MA

$766

Washington, DC

$801

Difference

$35.40

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,160

To$2,150

↑ $990

1 Bed

From$1,235

To$2,215

↑ $980

2 Bed

From$1,525

To$2,470

↑ $945

3 Bed

From$1,840

To$3,115

↑ $1,275

Fall River, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,190–$1,310/mo

Washington, DCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,340–$3,020/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Fall River, MA

$9,012

Monthly in Washington, DC

$1,512

Difference

Home Values

Fall River

Washington

$429K

Median Value

$556K

↑ +0.9%

YoY Change

↓ -2.2%

↑ +43.8%

5-Year Change

↓ -5.6%

$422K - $444K

Price Range

$233K - $1.35M

Homes in Washington are 29% more expensive than Fall River

Calculate payment - Fall River Calculate payment - Washington

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $3.6K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$304

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.4%

Rate difference

Fall River, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Washington, DC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

District of Columbia State Tax

Effective: 7.4%

$11.2K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 32.1%

$48.2K

Take-Home Pay

$8,486/month

$101.8K

Additional Tax Information

Fall River, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

Washington, DC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Fall River, MA: No data yet

Washington, DC

26/100

3% sidewalk tags · 2.3% cycling tags

Environment

Fall River

Washington

36 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

63.7%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.9°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

27 days

Before moving from Fall River, MA to Washington, DC

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Washington, DC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Fall River, MA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Fall River to Washington moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Washington, DC by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Fall River, MA vs Washington, DC

How do the cost estimates for Fall River, MA and Washington, DC compare?

Washington, DC has a modeled overall cost index 11.7% higher than Fall River, MA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Fall River, MA, the model estimates $168,146 in Washington, DC. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Fall River, MA and Washington, DC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,525/month in Fall River, MA and $2,470/month in Washington, DC. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Massachusetts and Washington DC on TaxTakeHome.com