Compare towns
Ayer vs Wareham vs Warren vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Warren has the most affordable homes ($334k median).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Ayer | Wareham | Warren | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,098Lowest |
23,302Highest |
5,009 |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±6.9 5% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
38.7±7.3Lowest 3% below MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±8Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.3%±5.5 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1% MA: 47.3% |
23.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±3 MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,878±$17k 28% below MA |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
$66,082±$6kLowest 36% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
| Barre and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,600±$43kHighest 21% below MA |
$424,500±$21k 24% below MA |
$333,700±$35kLowest 41% below MA |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
| Ayer and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,240±$169 30% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
$890±$174Lowest 49% below MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
| Wareham and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,911 18% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
$4,530 24% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±21.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% MA: 10% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
64.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Ayer 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 | #113 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA | #165 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wareham | Quaboag Regional | Quabbin |
| High school in town | — | Wareham Senior High | Quaboag Regional High | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
10.0 |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.