Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Dedham vs Westport
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 most affordable homes ($447k median).
Dedham has the most people working from home (20%).
Westport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Dedham | Westport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
25,237Highest |
16,484 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
50.7±1.8Highest 27% above MA |
| Westport 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% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Westport 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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Westport and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$96,000±$9k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$521,900±$38k 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,425±$356 19% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$3,719 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.9%±19.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #126 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #195 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | — | Westport |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | — | Westport Middle-High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| 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.