Compare towns
Acushnet vs Wareham vs Fairhaven vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acushnet has the youngest population (median age 46).
Wareham has the most people working from home (12.4%).
Fairhaven has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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.
| Measure | Acushnet | Wareham | Fairhaven | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,624 |
23,302Highest |
15,903 |
5,837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46±2.8Lowest 15% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Acushnet and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±3.7 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
43.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,503±$9kLowest 14% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rochester and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,400±$34k 22% below MA |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,170±$354 34% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,432±$743 19% below MA |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,647 22% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,530Highest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.4%±15.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Acushnet and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6% MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wareham and Fairhaven 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 | #118 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acushnet | Wareham | Fairhaven | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | Fairhaven High | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
11.4Highest |
9.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.