Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Townsend vs New Bedford
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 population (median age 48.5).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
New Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Townsend | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903 |
9,100Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
| Townsend 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 |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Townsend and New Bedford 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Bedford and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Fairhaven and Townsend 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | North Middlesex | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | North Middlesex Regional | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.1 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.