Compare towns
Acushnet vs Douglas vs Fall River 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%).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
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 | Douglas | Fall River | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,624 |
9,207Lowest |
94,082Highest |
15,903 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8 15% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
39.3±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
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%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Acushnet 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±0.9 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% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,503±$9k 14% below MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34k 22% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Douglas and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354 34% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,155±$27 34% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Douglas and Acushnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,647 22% below MA |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$3,953 34% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acushnet | Douglas | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | B M C Durfee High | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.3 |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.