Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Bourne vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairhaven has the highest household income ($96k).
Bourne has the most people working from home (14.9%).
New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Fairhaven | Bourne | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
20,323 |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Bourne and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest 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+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% 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 | $446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Bourne and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 8.3% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 min 11% below MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest 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 | #126 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
9.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.