Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Springfield 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 most expensive homes ($447k median).
Springfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Springfield | Agawam Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903Lowest |
154,749Highest |
28,539 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
47.4±2.6 19% above MA |
| Fairhaven and Agawam Town 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% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.3%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.1%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Agawam Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.9%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Springfield and Agawam Town 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 |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$85,421±$7k 18% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Agawam Town 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 |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$311,600±$12k 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
$1,256±$87Highest 29% below MA |
| Agawam Town and Springfield 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 |
$3,695 38% below MA |
$4,241Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.8%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Springfield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Fairhaven and Agawam Town 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #193 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Springfield | Agawam |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Springfield Central High | Agawam High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.2Highest |
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.