What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).

Oxford has the highest household income ($129k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Fairhaven	Oxford
People
Population	15,903Highest	12,991Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	48.5±3.4Highest 25% above U.S.	45.2±5.7Lowest 16% above U.S.
	Fairhaven and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	21.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Oxford 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 U.S.: 17.2%	22.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Fairhaven and Oxford 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 U.S.: 35.7%	46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Oxford and Fairhaven 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 19% above U.S.	$128,953±$23kHighest 60% above U.S.
	Oxford and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,700±$19kLowest 34% above U.S.	$472,400±$20kHighest 42% above U.S.
	Oxford and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,415±$87Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S.	$6,442Highest 107% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.1%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1%	23.3%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Fairhaven and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.	30 minHighest 14% above U.S.
Work from home	11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	14.4%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Oxford 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	#78 of 149 in CT
School district	Fairhaven	Oxford School District
High school in town	Fairhaven High	Oxford High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.