Compare towns
Alstead vs Hampton Beach vs Wareham vs Marlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Wareham has the youngest population (median age 52.1).
Marlow has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Alstead | Hampton Beach | Wareham | Marlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,551 |
2,605 |
23,302Highest |
855Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 44% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Lowest 34% above U.S. |
52.8±11.7 36% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Marlow and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wareham and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$90,383±$11k 12% above U.S. |
$110,455±$12kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Marlow and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
$325,400±$49k about the U.S. average |
| Hampton Beach and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S. |
$1,154±$160Lowest 18% below U.S. |
| Wareham and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$5,826 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±23.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
18.2%±95.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #272 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | — | Wareham | Marlow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 4 photos → |
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.