Salaries in Fall River, MA

Fall River in 2026 feels like a city caught between its past and a quietly ambitious future. What’s surprising isn’t its old-world grit, but that its unemployment rate is a razor-tight 3.5%—lower than many wealthier suburbs. You’re looking at a place where the job market is humming along, even if the paychecks don’t always shout about it.

Let’s talk real dollars. With a cost of living just a hair above the national average (100.9), that median household income of $52,978 stretches, but it doesn’t snap. A one-bedroom apartment runs about $1,398 a month. That means the average worker here, making around $69,000, isn’t drowning, but they’re not exactly building a fortune. You’re getting a slight discount on life in New England, but it’s not a steal.

So who’s actually thriving? The money flows to a handful of fields. Marketing managers and pharmacists top the list, pulling in well over $130,000. Software developers are also finding a surprising niche here, earning nearly $128,000. The old reliance on textiles is long gone; today, it’s healthcare, education, and a growing slice of tech and construction that keep the engines running. Places like Southcoast Health and the local university are major anchors.

Here’s my honest take: wages are not keeping pace with the national surge. That average salary of $69,647 looks modest next to the top earners. For a single professional, especially in tech or management, Fall River can be a smart financial move. For families trying to climb the ladder on a single blue-collar income, it’s a tougher climb. The city offers stability, but not necessarily rapid wealth accumulation.

The data below breaks it all down, from the top-paying jobs to what your paycheck might really look like after the rent is paid.