Compare towns
Plympton vs Fairhaven vs Middleborough
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Fairhaven has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Middleborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
15,903 |
24,505Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA |
43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
| Fairhaven and Plympton 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% |
18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Middleborough 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% |
21.8%±2.1Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Middleborough and Fairhaven 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 |
$97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
| Plympton and Middleborough 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 |
$1,706±$72Highest 3% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,023 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Middleborough and Fairhaven 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% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
76.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.6%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Middleborough 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 | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Fairhaven | Middleborough |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.