Compare towns
Middlefield vs Fairhaven vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the most affordable homes ($333k median).
Fairhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).
Washington has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Middlefield | Fairhaven | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 352Lowest |
15,903Highest |
526 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
56.5±7.7 41% above MA |
| Middlefield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.4%±1.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Washington and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fairhaven and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$95,278±$12kLowest 8% below MA |
| Middlefield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA |
$370,700±$32k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926Highest 18% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$4,381 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Middlefield and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest about the MA average |
29 min about the MA average |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±10.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Middlefield and Washington 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 | — | Fairhaven | — |
| High school in town | — | Fairhaven High | — |
| 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.