Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Hardwick 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 most people working from home (11.4%).
Hardwick has the most affordable homes ($347k median).
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 | Hardwick | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903 |
2,684Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3% MA: +7.4% |
-10.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
45.3±9.8 13% above MA |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±5.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Hardwick 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% |
22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.9% MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±4.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Hardwick and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$75,000±$22k 28% below MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$346,700±$67kLowest 38% below MA |
$357,300±$6k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79 37% below MA |
$1,108±$119Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,137±$26Highest 35% below MA |
| New Bedford and Fairhaven 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 |
$4,400Highest 27% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59%±13.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Hardwick and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2% MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.7%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Fairhaven and Hardwick 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Quabbin | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | None in town | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 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.