Fairhaven vs New Bedford
You are paying about $50k more for a 4BR in Fairhaven, and in exchange you get the stronger schools. That is the trade in plain terms: $50k for 48 MCAS percentile points inside the same tier.
Choose Fairhaven if you want the stronger schools of the two.
All Fairhaven numbers →Choose New Bedford if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All New Bedford numbers →Side by side
The better of the two is highlighted on each row. Where a row is not highlighted, the two are close enough that calling a winner would be false precision.
| Fairhaven | New Bedford | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | mixed schoolsT4 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS percentile | 56th | 8th |
| Niche district rank | 84th of 236 | — |
| 4BR house | $525kT1 | $475kT1 |
| 2BR condo | $300k | $265k |
| Commute to Boston | 88 minT4 | 86 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~94 min to terminal |
| Tax rate | $10.00T2 | $10.95T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$5,300 | ≈$5,200 |
| 3BR rent | $1,770/mo | $1,780/mo |
Prices are estimates calibrated to the Zillow Home Value Index and Redfin; tax rates are FY2026 residential rates and the bill applies that rate to the town’s own median 4BR estimate; commutes take the rail leg from the MBTA timetable and still model the drive; rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents. School tiers are editorial and shown next to the state’s own MCAS figures. Data last reviewed — see the methodology. This comparison never uses demographics as an input.
