What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

Fairhaven has the most people working from home (11.4%).

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	Westport	Fairhaven
People
Population	16,484Highest	15,903Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50.7±1.8Highest 27% above MA	48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA
	Westport and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.5%±2.9Lowest 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%	24.9%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Fairhaven and Westport 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%	32.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,000±$9kHighest 8% below MA	$95,965±$19kLowest 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±$38kHighest 7% below MA	$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,425±$356Highest 19% below MA	$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA
	Westport and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,719Highest 38% below MA	$3,566Lowest 40% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.9%±19.8Highest MA: 51.8%	51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Westport and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest MA: 10%	8.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 min about the MA average	29 min about the MA average
Work from home	9.2%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	11.4%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Fairhaven and Westport 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	#126 of 282 in MA
School district	Westport	Fairhaven
High school in town	Westport Middle-High School	Fairhaven High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Highest	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.