What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).

Southwick has the most people working from home (16.2%).

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.

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

Measure	Fairhaven	Southwick
People
Population	15,903Highest	9,217Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	-2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA	46.8±1.8Lowest 17% above MA
	Fairhaven and Southwick 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%	18.2%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Southwick 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%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Fairhaven and Southwick 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%	35.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%
	Southwick 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 8% below MA	$120,462±$16kHighest 16% above MA
	Southwick 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±$19kHighest 21% below MA	$397,500±$27kLowest 29% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA	$1,332±$72Highest 24% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,566Lowest 40% below MA	$5,331Highest 11% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.1%±14Highest MA: 51.8%	51%±10Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Fairhaven and Southwick 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%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	83.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest about the MA average	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.2%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Southwick 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	#211 of 282 in MA
School district	Fairhaven	Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District
High school in town	Fairhaven High	Southwick Regional School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	11.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.