Compare towns
Halifax vs Fairhaven vs Bridgewater Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Fairhaven has the oldest population (median age 48.5).
Bridgewater Town has the most expensive homes ($533k 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.
| Measure | Halifax | Fairhaven | Bridgewater Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Lowest |
15,903 |
28,471Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7 5% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
37.6±1.6Lowest 6% below MA |
| Fairhaven and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Halifax and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
39.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
16.2%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$112,651±$7k 8% above MA |
| Halifax and Bridgewater Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51k 14% below MA |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$533,100±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
| Bridgewater Town and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375 about the MA average |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,092±$177Highest 19% above MA |
| Bridgewater Town and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 14% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,499 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±13.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Bridgewater Town and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Halifax and Bridgewater Town 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #121 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Halifax | Fairhaven | Bridgewater-Raynham |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | Bridgewater-Raynham Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
18.1Highest |
| 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.