Compare towns
Hancock vs Fairhaven vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
New Braintree has the most homeowners (89.8%).
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 | Hancock | Fairhaven | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 752Lowest |
15,903Highest |
973 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±11.1Lowest 18% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
| Fairhaven and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Hancock and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hancock and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$26k 7% below MA |
$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $375,500±$21kLowest 33% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$408,800±$27k 27% below MA |
| Fairhaven and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,268±$415 28% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
$3,566 40% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±36.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| New Braintree and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1987 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 25% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Fairhaven and Hancock 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 | — |
| School district | Hancock | Fairhaven | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.