Compare towns
Acushnet vs Bourne vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acushnet has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Fairhaven has the highest household income ($96k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Acushnet | Bourne | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,624Lowest |
20,323Highest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8Lowest 15% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
| Bourne and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Acushnet and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,503±$9kLowest 14% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34kLowest 22% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354 34% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Bourne and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,647Highest 22% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acushnet | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | None in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.