Fairhaven vs New Bedford
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 $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
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.
SchoolsFairhaven ahead on 3 of 9
| Fairhaven | New Bedford | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | mixed schoolsT4 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS achievement | 56th | 8th |
| Student growth | 44th | 44th |
| Graduation rate | 94% | 79.9% |
| SchoolDigger rank | 203rd of 361 | 338th of 361 |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $18,259 | $23,096 |
| Schools in the district | 3 | 21 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 4 | 4 |
What a home costsNew Bedford ahead on 6 of 8
| Fairhaven | New Bedford | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $525kT1 | $475kT1 |
| 3BR townhouse | $405k | $360k |
| 2BR condo | $300k | $265k |
| 3BR home | $524k | $460k |
| 5+ BR home | $664k | $555k |
| 3BR rent | $1,913/mo | $1,927/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $139k | $129k |
| 10-year price growth | 6.8% a year | 7.9% a year |
What you pay the townFairhaven ahead on 1 of 4
| Fairhaven | New Bedford | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $9.19T1 | $10.95T2 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$4,800 | ≈$5,200 |
| Town spending per resident | $3,974 | $5,132 |
| Share of budget on schools | 44% | 48% |
Getting to workNew Bedford ahead on 1 of 3
| Fairhaven | New Bedford | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 89 minT4 | 86 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~94 min to terminal |
| Miles from downtown | 51 mi | 48 mi |
Before kindergartenNew Bedford ahead on 3 of 4
| Fairhaven | New Bedford | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 11 | 61 |
| Child care places | 530 | 3,138 |
| Centers vs family programs | 9 centers | 34 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 95 | 486 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Fairhaven | New Bedford | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,924 | 101,079 |
| Energy | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 3/10 | 8/10 |
| Family amenities | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Culture | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Gathering places | 6/10 | 8/10 |
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.
