What stands out worked out from the figures below

Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

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	Milton	Fairhaven
People
Population	28,587Highest	15,903Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average	48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	71.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA	$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA	$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$281Highest 16% below MA	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA
	Milton and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,677Highest 61% above MA	$3,566Lowest 40% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.1%±14Highest MA: 51.8%
	Fairhaven and Milton 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	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 8% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%	11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#55 of 282 in MA	#126 of 282 in MA
School district	Milton	Fairhaven
High school in town	Milton High	Fairhaven High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.4Highest	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.