Compare towns
Bourne vs Fairhaven vs Suffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Fairhaven has the most kids (16.9% under 18).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Bourne | Fairhaven | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
15,903 |
15,702Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 34% above U.S. |
48.5±3.4 25% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Bourne and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Fairhaven and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bourne and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,058±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$95,965±$19k 19% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$446,700±$19k 34% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 44% above U.S. |
$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.1%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bourne and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Bourne 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Fairhaven High | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.4Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.