What stands out worked out from the figures below

Southwick has the most people working from home (16.2%).

Fairhaven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).

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	Southwick	Fairhaven
People
Population	9,217Lowest	15,903Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+0.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.8±1.8Lowest 17% above MA	48.5±3.4Highest 21% above MA
	Fairhaven and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.2%±3Highest MA: 19.4%	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Southwick and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Fairhaven and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.1%Highest MA: 47.3%	32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9%	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Southwick and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,462±$16kHighest 16% above MA	$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA
	Southwick and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$397,500±$27kLowest 29% below MA	$446,700±$19kHighest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,332±$72Highest 24% below MA	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,331Highest 11% below MA	$3,566Lowest 40% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51%±10Lowest MA: 51.8%	51.1%±14Highest MA: 51.8%
	Fairhaven and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest about the MA average	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	16.2%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6%	11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Southwick and Fairhaven 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	#211 of 282 in MA	#126 of 282 in MA
School district	Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District	Fairhaven
High school in town	Southwick Regional School	Fairhaven High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.0Lowest	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.