Compare towns
Westport vs Bourne vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Bourne has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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.
| Measure | Westport | Bourne | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,484 |
20,323Highest |
15,903Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.7±1.8 27% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
| Bourne and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Fairhaven and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Westport and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $521,900±$38k 7% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
| Bourne and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,425±$356Highest 19% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
| Westport and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,719 38% below MA |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±19.8 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Westport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne 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 | #195 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Westport | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | Westport Middle-High School | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
9.8Lowest |
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.