Compare towns
Ashburnham vs Rochester vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
Rochester has the most expensive homes ($599k median).
Wareham has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Ashburnham | Rochester | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,415 |
5,837Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashburnham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,809±$11k 14% above MA |
$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Rochester and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,700±$34kLowest 30% below MA |
$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,807±$1kHighest about the MA average |
$1,432±$743Lowest 19% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Ashburnham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,046 about the MA average |
$6,530Highest 9% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
88.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Ashburnham and Wareham 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 | #178 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.