Compare towns
Fairhaven vs Windsor Locks vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairhaven has the most expensive homes ($447k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
New Bedford has the most renters (59.7% rent).
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 | Windsor Locks | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,903 |
12,579Lowest |
100,998Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.5±3.4Highest 25% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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±$19kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$56,981±$3kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Fairhaven and Windsor Locks 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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,137±$26 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,566Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$4,338Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and New Bedford 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Fairhaven | Windsor Locks School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Fairhaven High | Windsor Locks High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
8.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.