Compare towns
Acushnet vs Dedham 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 homeowners (85.3%).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Fairhaven has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
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 | Dedham | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,624Lowest |
25,237Highest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8 15% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
| Fairhaven and Acushnet 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% |
18.6%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Acushnet and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.7 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Acushnet 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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Dedham 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 |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34kLowest 22% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354 34% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,647 22% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acushnet | Dedham | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
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.