What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fairhaven has the most people working from home (11.4%).

Westport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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	Westport
People
Population	15,903Lowest	16,484Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA	50.7±1.8Highest 27% above MA
	Westport and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%	16.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Fairhaven and Westport 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%	24.2%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Fairhaven and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	29.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA	$96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA
	Westport 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 21% below MA	$521,900±$38kHighest 7% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA	$1,425±$356Highest 19% below MA
	Westport and Fairhaven 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	$3,719Highest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8%	52.9%±19.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Westport and Fairhaven 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%	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	82.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 min about the MA average	29 min about the MA average
Work from home	11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%	9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Fairhaven and Westport 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	#195 of 282 in MA
School district	Fairhaven	Westport
High school in town	Fairhaven High	Westport Middle-High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	11.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.