What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).

Fairhaven has the most homeowners (74.4%).

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	Lynn	Fairhaven
People
Population	101,709Highest	15,903Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	36.5±1.2Lowest 9% below MA	48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	32.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.6Highest MA: 7.9%	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA	$95,965±$19kHighest 8% below MA
	Fairhaven and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$510,100±$23kHighest 9% below MA	$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,722±$60Highest about the MA average	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,384Highest 10% below MA	$3,566Lowest 40% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%	51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Lynn and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest MA: 10%	8.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 8% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Fairhaven and Lynn 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	#277 of 282 in MA	#126 of 282 in MA
School district	Lynn	Fairhaven
High school in town	Lynn English High	Fairhaven High
Students per teacherat that high school	15.0Highest	11.4Lowest
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.