Dartmouth vs Fairhaven
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
You are paying about $100k more for a 4BR in Dartmouth, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $100k for one tier of schooling.
Choose Dartmouth if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Dartmouth numbers →Choose Fairhaven if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Fairhaven numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsDartmouth ahead on 4 of 10, 2 against
| Dartmouth | Fairhaven | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | solid schoolsT3 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS achievement | 72nd | 56th |
| Student growth | 52nd | 44th |
| Graduation rate | 92.4% | 94% |
| Niche district rank | 87th of 236 | 84th of 236 |
| SchoolDigger rank | 154th of 361 | 203rd of 361 |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $19,335 | $18,259 |
| Schools in the district | 5 | 3 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 3 | 4 |
What a home costsFairhaven ahead on 7 of 8
| Dartmouth | Fairhaven | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $625kT2 | $525kT1 |
| 3BR townhouse | $475k | $405k |
| 2BR condo | $350k | $300k |
| 3BR home | $599k | $524k |
| 5+ BR home | $1.29M | $664k |
| 3BR rent | $2,317/mo | $1,913/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $161k | $139k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.7% a year | 6.8% a year |
What you pay the townDartmouth ahead on 1 of 4
| Dartmouth | Fairhaven | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $8.03T1 | $9.19T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$5,000 | ≈$4,800 |
| Town spending per resident | $3,215 | $3,974 |
| Share of budget on schools | 56% | 44% |
Getting to workLevel across all 3
| Dartmouth | Fairhaven | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 93 minT4 | 89 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 55 mi | 51 mi |
Before kindergartenDartmouth ahead on 3 of 4
| Dartmouth | Fairhaven | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 23 | 11 |
| Child care places | 1,480 | 530 |
| Centers vs family programs | 20 centers | 9 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 355 | 95 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Dartmouth | Fairhaven | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,783 | 15,924 |
| Energy | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compact center | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Family amenities | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Culture | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Gathering places | 6/10 | 6/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
