Compare towns
Acushnet vs Fairhaven vs Upton
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 affordable homes ($436k median).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Fairhaven | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,624 |
15,903Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8Lowest 15% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Fairhaven and Upton 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% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest 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% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Acushnet and Fairhaven 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 |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34kLowest 22% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354Highest 34% below MA |
$1,118±$79 37% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Acushnet and Fairhaven 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 |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #118 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acushnet | Fairhaven | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.