Compare towns
Gill vs Fairhaven vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Gill | Fairhaven | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,740Lowest |
15,903Highest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
48.2±8 21% above MA |
| Fairhaven and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±8.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gill and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±4.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,208±$14kLowest 13% below MA |
$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA |
$92,120±$31k 11% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$17kLowest 39% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$409,400±$32k 27% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$246 32% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA |
| Sheffield and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,318 28% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,520Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 29% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gill 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 | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gill-Montague | Fairhaven | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| 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.