What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairhaven has the most expensive homes ($447k median).

Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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.

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

Measure	Fairhaven	Plainfield
People
Population	15,903Highest	15,141Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.3% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	48.5±3.4Highest 25% above U.S.	37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield 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%	16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainfield 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±$19kHighest 19% above U.S.	$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S.
	Fairhaven and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$446,700±$19kHighest 34% above U.S.	$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S.
	Plainfield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S.	$4,209Highest 35% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.1%±14Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Fairhaven and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 8% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	11.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Fairhaven and Plainfield 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	#131 of 149 in CT
School district	Fairhaven	Plainfield School District
High school in town	Fairhaven High	Plainfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	10.3Lowest
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.