Compare towns
Ashby vs Wareham vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most people working from home (17.8%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Hampden has the most affordable homes ($358k median).
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 | Ashby | Wareham | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
23,302Highest |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Lowest 26% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
50.9±3.3 27% above MA |
| Wareham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hampden and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
$104,536±$16k about the MA average |
| Ashby and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
$358,200±$16kLowest 36% below MA |
| Wareham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$1,132±$107Lowest 36% below MA |
| Wareham and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 about the MA average |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$6,181Highest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashby 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Wareham | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6 |
— |
| 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.