What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).

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	Mansfield	Fairhaven
People
Population	23,931Highest	15,903Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA	48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4%	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	51.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Mansfield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA	$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA
	Mansfield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA	$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,803±$147Highest about the MA average	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,226Highest 21% above MA	$3,566Lowest 40% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.1%±14Highest MA: 51.8%
	Fairhaven and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6%	11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#60 of 282 in MA	#126 of 282 in MA
School district	Mansfield	Fairhaven
High school in town	Mansfield High	Fairhaven High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	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.