Compare towns
Plympton vs Fairhaven vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k 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.
| Measure | Plympton | Fairhaven | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
15,903Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2Lowest 16% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
| Ashby and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Fairhaven and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Fairhaven and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA |
| Plympton and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,118±$79 37% below MA |
$1,200±$484Highest 32% below MA |
| Ashby and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Fairhaven and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Ashby 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Fairhaven | North Middlesex |
| 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.