Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Hingham vs Agawam Town
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1952).
Hingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Agawam Town has the most affordable homes ($312k median).
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 | Hingham | Agawam Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
24,283 |
28,539Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
47.4±2.6Lowest 19% above MA |
| Fairhaven and Hingham 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% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hingham 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.9%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$85,421±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$1,134,200±$47kHighest 102% above MA |
$311,600±$12kLowest 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,465±$603Highest 40% above MA |
$1,256±$87 29% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,241 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.8%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Fairhaven 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% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #126 of 282 in MA | #14 of 282 in MA | #193 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Hingham | Agawam |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Hingham High | Agawam High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.9Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| 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.