Compare towns
Ashfield vs Marion vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Ashfield | Marion | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,893Lowest |
5,310 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
53.8±4 35% above MA |
52.1±3.1Lowest 30% above MA |
| Ashfield and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ashfield and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.7% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,600±$30kLowest 29% below MA |
$653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$200Lowest 38% below MA |
$1,176±$516 33% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,197 13% below MA |
$5,766Highest 4% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±34 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Highest MA: 10% |
9% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ashfield and Marion 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 | — | #141 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Marion | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Wareham Senior High |
| 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.