What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windham	Fairhaven
People
Population	16,038Highest	15,903Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.	48.5±3.4Highest 25% above U.S.
Kids under 18	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	32.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.3%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.	$95,965±$19kLowest 19% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.	$446,700±$19kLowest 34% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.	$1,118±$79Lowest 21% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$3,566Lowest 14% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51.1%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	29 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#13 of 120 in NH	#126 of 282 in MA
School district	Windham School District	Fairhaven
High school in town	Windham High School	Fairhaven High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.