What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hadley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).

Fairhaven has the most affordable homes ($447k median).

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	Hadley	Fairhaven
People
Population	5,306Lowest	15,903Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±7.1Lowest 15% above MA	48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA
	Fairhaven and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%
	Fairhaven and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Fairhaven and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	61.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9%	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$119,259±$12kHighest 15% above MA	$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA
	Hadley and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$511,000±$43kHighest 9% below MA	$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,402±$132Highest 20% below MA	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,271Highest 12% below MA	$3,566Lowest 40% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.1%±14Highest MA: 51.8%
	Fairhaven and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 33% below MA	29 minHighest about the MA average
Work from home	20.1%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6%	11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Hadley 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	#116 of 282 in MA	#126 of 282 in MA
School district	Hadley	Fairhaven
High school in town	Hopkins Academy	Fairhaven High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.3Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.